Pakistan has officially launched the PM Youth Chromebook Scheme to distribute 500,000 Chromebooks to students over the next two years. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the program on October 25, 2026 at a ceremony in Islamabad. The scheme runs under the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme. It also includes bags and MiFi internet devices for remote learning.
The program only accepts students enrolled in government or public schools. Private school students are not eligible. In Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, the scheme targets top-performing Grade 9 (SSC-I) students. However, students in AJK, Islamabad, and Gilgit-Baltistan can also apply from Grade 10 (SSC-II). Each education board sets its own merit cutoff.
Students must apply online through the official portal at pmychromebooks.ibcc.edu.pk. First, applicants select their education board. Then they enter their CNIC or B-Form number and date of birth. After the system verifies the record, students upload the required documents and submit the form.
The application needs four documents. Specifically, applicants must upload a recent passport-style photo and their SSC-I or SSC-II mark sheet. In addition, they need attested copies of their B-Form or CNIC and a parent’s CNIC. Each scan must stay under 300 KB in file size.
Students can apply only once. Furthermore, applicants cannot edit the form after submission. Incorrect information may also cancel the allocation. If the system cannot find a student’s record, they should contact their school or education board.
Shehbaz Sharif used his launch speech to stress merit-based selection. He said that intelligence and hard work should not be held captive by wealth and poverty. In addition, he confirmed that seminary students are also eligible for the scheme.
The new program moves much faster than the previous laptop scheme under Nawaz Sharif. That earlier scheme distributed about 600,000 laptops over roughly 10 years. In contrast, the Chromebook rollout targets 500,000 units in just 24 months.
Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Chairman of the PM Youth Programme, spoke at the launch ceremony. The Tokyo Technology Care Foundation has also pledged support for digital facilities for 500,000 students. Furthermore, its founder Rashid Minhas donated toward the initiative.
The scheme also builds on recent Pakistan-Google partnerships. Google began manufacturing Chromebooks in Haripur in November 2025, with plans for roughly 600,000 units per year. In addition, Pakistan signed an agreement with Google in August 2026. The deal gives students one year of free Gemini AI access.
For eligible Pakistani students, the online portal is now open at the IBCC website. However, the government has not yet confirmed a final application deadline.
