Students across Punjab spent much of the year checking one portal for a fresh laptop window. Phase 2 of the CM Punjab Laptop Scheme opened on 25 January 2026 and closed in April 2026 after an extension. No Phase 3 had been announced as of September 2026, and the portal itself showed “Application Submission is Closed!” as of 14 September 2026.
Phase 1 had already set the scale for the programme. Distribution began at the end of April 2025 at UET Lahore, with Core i7, 13th generation laptops going to students. Reporting puts Phase 1 at 110,000 laptops. Phase 2 followed as a fresh round for students who had entered their first or second semester of BS in 2025, along with students in selected professional programmes.
Phase 2 mattered for a narrow intake group. Only students in their first or second semester of BS in 2025, plus selected professional programmes, fell inside the round. Older students outside that intake had no route in Phase 2, which is why checking the intake rule matters as much as checking the date.
Status: Closed
| Phase | Scale | Key dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 110,000 laptops | Distribution began end of April 2025 | Distribution phase |
| Phase 2 | 2026 round | Portal opened 25 January 2026, closed April 2026 | Closed |
Older blogs still show November to December 2025 windows for this scheme. Those dates belong to an earlier round and do not apply to Phase 2. Anyone planning around an old date risks missing the real window when a new phase opens, so the portal remains the only reliable place to check.
What students received
Phase 2 gave a free laptop, not a cash payment. No cash alternative was part of the scheme. Phase 1 devices were Core i7, 13th generation machines, distributed through universities and colleges after verification.
Who could apply in Phase 2
Phase 2 eligibility centred on domicile, enrolment, marks, and a clean record with earlier rounds:
- Punjab domicile, with an application receipt accepted while a domicile certificate was still pending
- First or second semester BS student in 2025 at a public university, a federal-chartered university, a listed private university, or a public college
- Public-sector MBBS, BDS, DVM, or BS Nursing students also covered
- Minimum intermediate marks of 65% for BS and 80% for MBBS and BDS, with a 55% to 80% range across programmes
- One guide cites 55% for non-Muslim students
- No previous laptop-scheme award
- Private-college students excluded
Marks thresholds varied by programme, so a student who missed the BS bar could still have qualified under a different programme rule. Domicile mattered as much as marks, since the scheme was limited to Punjab.
How the process worked
Applications ran through one portal, with institutions doing the verification:
- Open cmlaptophed.punjab.gov.pk
- Register or sign in with student ID and CNIC
- Fill in academic details for verification by the institution
- Wait for the merit list
- Collect the laptop on distribution if selected
No separate fee was stated for applying. Higher Education Department runs the scheme, and PITB built the portal. Institutional verification was the step where most applications were checked, since enrolment and marks had to match college and university records.
Merit lists decided the final selection after verification. Distribution followed the list, with institutions handing over laptops to selected students. Students who failed verification at the institution stage did not reach the merit list, even with marks above the bar.
How Phase 2 differed from Phase 1
Phase 1 set the template with 110,000 laptops and distribution from UET Lahore at the end of April 2025. Phase 2 narrowed the intake to students who had entered first or second semester BS in 2025, plus public-sector MBBS, BDS, DVM, and BS Nursing students. Marks bars also differed by programme, with 65% for BS and 80% for MBBS and BDS, against a wider 55% to 80% range across programmes. Private-college students stayed outside Phase 2, and previous recipients could not apply again. Institutional verification stayed central in both rounds, since enrolment and marks had to match college and university records before any merit list appeared.
What to do now
With Phase 2 closed and no Phase 3 announced, students should keep an eye on cmlaptophed.punjab.gov.pk rather than trusting old blog dates. Domicile papers and intermediate result cards were the core records in Phase 2. CNIC mattered just as much, and keeping those ready saves time when a new round opens. Rules can change between phases, so Phase 2 conditions are a guide to the kind of record that mattered, not a promise for a future round.
Frequently asked questions
No. Phase 2 closed in April 2026, and no Phase 3 had been announced as of September 2026.
110,000 laptops were reported for Phase 1, with distribution beginning at the end of April 2025 at UET Lahore.
No. Phase 2 gave a free laptop only, with no cash payment option.
No. Private-college students were excluded from Phase 2.
On cmlaptophed.punjab.gov.pk, the Higher Education Department portal for the scheme.
80% in intermediate, against 65% for BS.
Yes. An application receipt was accepted while the domicile certificate was still pending.
