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In a major step toward digital inclusion, the Punjab government has approved the decision to extend its laptop scheme to private university students for the first time. This marks a significant shift aimed at reducing the academic and digital gap between public and private sector students across the province.
The Higher Education Department confirmed that the initiative will start with 10,000 laptops being distributed in the first phase to eligible students enrolled in private universities. Work on the scheme is already underway, signaling the government’s commitment to ensuring equal access to digital resources.
Officials stated that the eligibility criteria will remain unchanged, ensuring fair assessment under the same merit system used in previous phases of the Punjab Laptop Scheme.
A Higher Education official noted:
“Our goal is to minimize the digital divide between public and private university students. Extending the scheme ensures equal academic opportunities for all.”
Under the existing rules, students must be enrolled in a private institution within Punjab, maintain at least 70% marks or an equivalent CGPA, and must not have received a laptop in previous distribution rounds.
The scheme will also continue reserved quotas for female students, disabled students, and those from low-income families measures officials believe are crucial for promoting fair access to technology and digital empowerment.
