Prime Minister’s Youth Program is a special initiative launched by the Government of Pakistan in 2013 for five (05) years. The Youth Program comprises of several schemes including Prime Minister’s Interest Free Loan Scheme, Prime Minister’s Youth Business Loans, Prime Minister’s Youth Training Scheme, Prime Minister’s Youth Skills Development Scheme, Prime Minister’s Fee Reimbursement Scheme for Students from Less Developed Areas and Prime Minister’s Laptops Scheme.
Prime Minister’s Laptops Scheme is for Talented Students with the main objective of this scheme is an attempt to enhance the scope of research and quality education in the country and increase the access to information technology.
Objectives
- Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme – Phase I (2014)
This scheme was launched in 2013-14 with a target to procure and distribute 100,000 laptops amongst the students studying in Pakistan and AJ&K. HEC was given the responsibility to devise the mechanism of distribution of 100,000 laptops after procurement through open competitive bidding.
On the directives of the Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Government of Pakistan has initiated a national program for distribution of laptops to young and bright students studying in public sector higher education institutes (HEIs) across the country and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. The scheme is part of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programs for FY2013-14. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan is the executing agency responsible for developing criteria, mechanism, modalities and a road map for procurement and distribution of laptops under this scheme.
Project encompassed the distribution of Laptops along with carrying backpack Bags and a EVO Device to the students enrolled in any of the public sector universities or degree awarding institutes duly recognized by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. In addition, 5% quota has been reserved for the students studying in Government Polytechnic Institutes across Pakistan and AJ&K.
- Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme – Phase II (2015)
The scheme was announced in the budget speech of FY 2013 – 14 and formally commenced in August 2013 with coordination and consultation with Government of the Punjab. Since the schemes under the Prime Minister’s initiative was announced for five (05) years, the second phase of the Prime Minister’s Laptops Scheme has been launched for 2015. During this phase, another 100,000 laptops will be distributed amongst the talented students as per the defined eligibility and distribution criteria.
Similar to the past year, the scheme is conceived as a comprehensive ecosystem around the laptop instead of distributing “black boxes” to students. Ecosystem as envisaged around the laptop hardware for this project, consists of various components ranging from licensed/ genuine Windows 8.1 Operating System; Microsoft Office365 application software; Training opportunity at Microsoft IT Academy at respective university/ institutes; Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification voucher, 3G EVO Device; and Access to HEC’s National Digital Library using 3G EVO Device. These aspects will not only bring value to money but will create synergy with relevant industries, as well as help HEIs to provide state-of-the-art technologically enabled academic environment at par with HEIs in the developed world.
- Prime Minister’s Laptop Scheme – Phase III (2016)
Last Updated: 20-11-2016 01:18