The Prime Minister’s Youth Programme plans to hand out 500,000 Chromebooks to students, it said in a social media post this week, Pakistan Observer reported on October 22, 2026. The application portal, run by the Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC), is already open, and it sets clear rules on who can apply.
A Chromebook is a simple laptop that runs Google’s ChromeOS and works mostly through the internet. Students can use it for online classes, research and schoolwork.
Only top Grade 9 students in most provinces
According to the official IBCC portal, the scheme is only for students of government or public schools. Private school students cannot apply.
For boards in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, only top-performing Grade 9 students are eligible, based on the Annual Examinations 2026. For boards in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan, top-performing students of both Grade 9 and Grade 10 can apply.
The portal does not say how many marks count as “top-performing.” Students’ names, schools and marks are checked against lists sent by their own boards.
When Hype Pakistan checked the portal on October 23, its board list included Punjab’s nine boards, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s eight boards, Quetta, Mirpur and the Federal Board in Islamabad. Boards from Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan were not yet on the list, even though the rules mention them.
How to apply
The portal at pmychromebooks.ibcc.edu.pk lists four steps:
- Select your board and enter your B-Form or CNIC number, roll number or registration number, plus your date of birth.
- Check that your name, school and marks are correct.
- Upload your documents.
- Submit the form and download your slip with a reference number.
Keep these ready before you start: a recent colour photo, your Grade 9 or Grade 10 mark sheet, and attested copies of your B-Form and your father’s or guardian’s CNIC. Each file must be 300 KB or smaller.
Each student can apply only once, and the form cannot be changed after it is submitted. The portal warns that giving false information will cancel the Chromebook and may lead to further action. If your record is not found, the portal says to try your roll or registration number, or contact your board.
Many unofficial websites are sharing “apply here” links for the scheme. Students should only use the IBCC address above.
500,000 now, 700,000 earlier
The new figure is lower than first announced. In December 2025, Prime Minister’s Youth Programme Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan said 700,000 Chromebooks would go to students in schools, colleges and universities, The Express Tribune reported. The programme has not explained the change.
The devices are linked to a Google-backed assembly line at the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation’s factory in Haripur, which aims to build up to 500,000 Chromebooks a year, TechJuice reported. On October 22, Google again highlighted its plan to support local production of 500,000 Chromebooks for education, Daily Pakistan reported.
No last date or distribution schedule has been announced yet.
