The government wants to put a laptop in your child’s school bag. On 25 October, it launched the PM Youth Chromebook Scheme in Islamabad: 500,000 Chromebooks for students, handed out on merit. It sounds great. But who actually qualifies, how do you apply, and will your child really get one? Here’s the full guide, plus a small rant.
PM Youth Chromebook Scheme 2026 at a Glance
- Devices: 500,000 refurbished Chromebooks, given out with internet devices
- Timeline: two years, according to the launch speech (a ministry briefing reported by Geo says three)
- Run by: the Federal Education Ministry and the PM Youth Programme, with the IBCC checking results
- Cost to students: free. There’s no application fee.
- Portal: pmychromebooks.ibcc.edu.pk
Who Qualifies?
- Punjab, Sindh, KP and Balochistan: top Grade 9 (SSC-I) students, based on 2026 annual exam results
- Islamabad, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan: top students in Grade 9 and Grade 10
- Minimum marks: 50%, but the merit list decides, so you’ll need far more in practice
- Which schools: government schools, registered madaris, and private schools funded through provincial education foundations
- Not eligible: regular fee-paying private schools
One important catch: your child’s name must first be on the merit list their board sends to the IBCC. If it isn’t, the portal won’t let them apply.
How Many Chromebooks Each Region Gets
| Region | Chromebooks |
|---|---|
| Punjab | 181,090 |
| Islamabad | 100,000 |
| Sindh | 85,925 |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 51,170 |
| Balochistan | 31,815 |
| Azad Jammu & Kashmir | 25,000 |
| Gilgit-Baltistan | 25,000 |
| Total | 500,000 |
Inside each region, about 80% go to school students and 20% to madrassa students. Among school students, 70% go to the science group and 30% to arts. (Source: Geo News.)
Documents You Need
- A recent colour photo with a plain background (JPG or PNG, under 300KB)
- SSC-I or SSC-II mark sheet
- Attested copy of the student’s B-Form or CNIC
- Attested copy of the father’s or guardian’s CNIC
How to Apply for the PM Youth Chromebook Scheme on the IBCC Portal
- Go to pmychromebooks.ibcc.edu.pk.
- Select your board.
- Enter the B-Form or CNIC number, roll or registration number, and date of birth.
- The system checks the name, school and marks against board records.
- Upload the documents listed above.
- Submit the form and download the reference slip. Keep it safe.
Warning: each student can apply only once, and wrong information can get the Chromebook cancelled. Don’t confuse this with the PM Laptop Scheme for university students, which runs on a different HEC portal.
What Happens After You Apply
Boards and the IBCC prepare the merit lists. Provincial education departments confirm enrolment. Each Chromebook is linked to the student by serial number and couriered to their home. If your child is wrongly left out, or the device never arrives, there are grievance committees at board and provincial level.
Will You Actually Get One? The Rant
Giving laptops to bright kids from government schools and madaris is a good idea. No complaints there. But a few things don’t add up:
- Islamabad gets 100,000. That’s more than KP and Balochistan combined (about 83,000), for a city a fraction of their size.
- No deadline. The portal is open, but there’s no announced last date. Parents are left guessing.
- Refurbished, not new. These are used devices. Fine for homework, but how long will the batteries last?
- The long wait. Two years (or three) means a Grade 9 student today might get one after matric is done.
- Middle-class private school kids are out. Many parents stretch every rupee for a low-fee private school. Their top scorers get nothing.
Bottom line: if your child is a top Grade 9 student at a government school or madrassa, check the board’s list and apply now. Just don’t count the Chromebook as yours until the courier knocks. If you’re shopping for a laptop yourself, see our top 5 laptops launched in Pakistan in 2026.