The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) is on the verge of approving a significant increase in the merit-based distribution of laptops for students in Balochistan, proposing to raise the quota from 6 percent to 18 percent. The Planning Commission submitted a detailed summary to the ECNEC, outlining the merit criteria and cost breakdown for the distribution of laptops. According to the proposed criteria, laptops will be distributed based on academic merit, with specific guidelines for different degree programs.
Students achieving 70 percent marks in the semester system or a 2.88 CGPA and 60 percent marks for annual system students are eligible. The distribution will consider HSSC marks for BS 1st Semester Students and previous degree program numbers for MS/Ph.D. 1st Semester Students. The allocation of laptops will follow year-wise for BS/Diploma programs and semester-wise for MS/MPhil or equivalent programs.
Read Also: University of Karachi Breaks Ground with New BS Degree: Digital Media Marketing Takes Center Stage
The Prime Minister’s Youth Laptop Scheme, initiated in 2013 for five years, distributed 500,000 laptops in two phases. The Higher Education Commission oversees the scheme, and the ongoing PM Youth Laptop Scheme Phase-III aims to distribute 100,000 laptops in 2023. The ECNEC conditionally approved the project after a meeting in July 2023, leading to the submission of a modified PC-1 by the sponsors. As part of the Prime Minister’s initiatives, the “Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme” has been included in the budget for FY 2023-24, marking a continued commitment to enhancing educational opportunities for students.