Yes, the PM Youth Chromebook Scheme is real — and if you have seen a dozen conflicting WhatsApp forwards about it, here is the confirmed picture. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally launched it in Islamabad on 25 October 2026, announcing 500,000 refurbished Chromebooks with internet (MiFi) devices for talented students across Pakistan, to be distributed on merit over two years. It is a federal scheme under the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP), run with the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, and registration runs through the Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC) portal at the official IBCC Chromebook portal.
If you are a student, a parent, or a teacher, this guide gives you the confirmed picture — and separates it clearly from the rumours already circulating on WhatsApp and Facebook.
What the scheme actually gives you
According to the launch announcement, each selected student receives:
- A refurbished Chromebook — a lightweight laptop that runs Google’s ChromeOS and works mainly online, rather than a full Windows laptop.
- A MiFi internet device, so the Chromebook can connect to the internet at home, not only at school.
- A bag, reported in the launch coverage.
The stated purpose is digital learning: online classes, digital libraries, and study material for students whose families cannot afford a computer. The Prime Minister’s message at the launch was blunt — a child’s talent and hard work, not their family’s wealth, should decide whether they get access to modern education.
Who runs it
- Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) — the federal umbrella programme; its chairman, Rana Mashhood, spoke at the launch.
- Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training — implementing the scheme with PMYP, according to the launch reporting.
- Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC) — runs the registration portal. IBCC is the federal body that links all the education boards, which is why your board’s list matters so much (see below).
- Education boards (BISEs) — each board sends IBCC its list of shortlisted top performers. If your name is not on your board’s list, the portal cannot find your record.
- Tokyo Technology Care (TT Care) Foundation — named at the launch as the partner that took practical steps to provide digital facilities to 500,000 students.
Who gets a Chromebook
Selection is on merit only — academic performance in the Annual Examinations 2026. The scheme is for:
- Top-performing students of government and public schools only. Private school students are not covered under the current criteria.
- Grade 9 (SSC-I) students in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan.
- Grade 9 and Grade 10 (SSC-II) students in Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan.
- Students of registered religious seminaries — the Prime Minister confirmed at the launch that madaris students are included, after a seminary student from Baltistan raised the question at the ceremony.
There is no published fixed percentage cut-off. Each board sends its own shortlist of top performers, so the effective cut-off differs by board. If someone quotes you a single national percentage for this scheme, they are guessing.
What is happening now — read this before you apply
This is the part most social media posts get wrong, so read it carefully:
- Distribution has begun, but it runs over two years. Devices were handed to selected Grade 9 students and seminary students at the 25 October launch ceremony, and the announced plan is 500,000 devices across two years — not all at once.
- The first registration round is reported closed for some boards. Board notices from BISE Lahore and the AJK board set 19 October 2026 as a last date, and independent checks on 20 October 2026 found no extension notice on the board sites checked. That date came before the launch ceremony, which is why the sequence confuses people: registration for the first cohort ran first, and the public launch and distribution followed.
- There is no single national deadline. Deadlines differ by board, and no new or extended deadline had been confirmed publicly at the time of this revision (26 October 2026).
- Do not assume you can register today. Check the IBCC portal and your own board’s notice first. If your board’s round is closed, watch for the next round rather than trusting a WhatsApp post that claims a new date.
One number that does not match — and why we flag it
You may see two different totals online: a Press Information Department (PID) release from December 2025 mentioned 0.7 million Chromebooks in phases, while the October 2026 launch announcement says 500,000 over two years. We use the launch figure (500,000) because it is the latest official announcement, and we flag the older figure here rather than hiding the difference. If a future official notice revises the total, this guide should be updated to match it.
How this scheme relates to the PM laptop scheme
They are different schemes for different students. The Chromebook scheme is for school students (Grade 9, and Grade 10 in some regions) through IBCC and the boards. The PM Youth Laptop Scheme is for university students through HEC. Neither replaces the other, and applying for one does not register you for the other. Full comparison: Chromebook Scheme vs PM Laptop Scheme: How They Differ. For the whole youth-scheme picture, see our pillar guide: PM Youth Programme Explained: Every Scheme for Young Pakistanis in One Place.
Frequently asked questions
Is the PM Youth Chromebook Scheme real?
Yes. It was formally launched by the Prime Minister in Islamabad on 25 October 2026, with 500,000 Chromebooks and internet devices announced for distribution over two years.
Who is eligible?
Top-performing students of government and public schools, based on the Annual Examinations 2026 — Grade 9 in the four provinces, Grades 9 and 10 in Islamabad, AJK, and Gilgit-Baltistan — plus students of registered seminaries. Private school students are not covered.
Is registration open right now?
Not on a single national basis. Board notices reported a 19 October 2026 last date for the first round in some boards, and no extension had been confirmed publicly by 26 October 2026. Check the IBCC portal and your board’s notice for the current position.
Does every applicant get a Chromebook?
No. Registration is only open to board-shortlisted top performers, and selection is merit-based. Submitting a form does not guarantee a device.
Is there a fee?
No fee was seen on the IBCC portal or in the board notices checked. Anyone asking for payment to register a student is running a scam — see our safety guide: Fake Chromebook Registration Websites and SMS: How to Stay Safe.
Official sources: the IBCC Chromebook portal (linked above) and the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme site.
Scheme details change, so verify eligibility, dates, and application steps on the official IBCC portal and your board’s notice before acting — this guide is independent and not issued by IBCC or PMYP.
