Expanding Honhaar Scholarships
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has taken important decisions to provide equal educational opportunities to students across the country and has expanded Honhaar Scholarships to other provinces. Along with this, the eligibility criteria for students under the laptop scheme in Punjab have been set at 65%, while the number of laptops has been increased to 1,10,000. These steps were decided in a special meeting of Higher Education chaired by the Chief Minister, in which a clear strategy to illuminate the future of the province and the country with educational light was out.
Honahar Scholarship Scheme to Reach All Provinces
Maryam Nawaz Sharif emphasized that students from other provinces, including Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are also our children. According to her, the Punjab criteria for the Honhaar Scholarship will now be equally applicable to all provinces, in which every student who appears on merit will get admission to good colleges with a fee waiver.
Financial Support to Students of Second, Third, and Fourth Semesters
A dedicated helpline will be launched to provide immediate guidance to students on matters related to scholarships and the laptop scheme. This initiative aims to address student concerns efficiently, ensuring quick resolutions and better support. Students can contact the helpline for assistance with application processes, eligibility criteria, and general queries, promoting smoother access to these educational benefits.
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New Qualifications in Laptop Scheme 2025, Increasing Number
The Punjab government has also given a new dimension to the laptop scheme to equip students with digital tools. This year, 1,10,000 laptops will be distributed, including the latest Core i7 and 13th-generation laptop.
Eligibility Criteria for Students to Get Laptops
Special quota: 2,000 laptops for minority students, while 32% are reserved for students from South Punjab.
Fields: Students from more than 10 fields, including computer science, medicine, engineering, agriculture, and social sciences, will benefit.
An Important Vision of the Punjab Chief Minister
Speaking at the meeting, Maryam Nawaz said that education and youth are the nation’s real investments. Laptops and scholarships are the rights of every child, regardless of which province they belong. She emphasized with motherly passion that the government is trying to ensure that financial barriers do not hinder the progress of students and that every meritorious student reaches higher education.
Update: CM Maryam Nawaz spearheads an education revolution with the expansion of the Honhaar Scholarship Program and revival of the Laptop Scheme.
Initiative Aims: Thousands of bright students across Punjab will benefit from enhanced academic support and digital access.
Transparency and Future Plans
The target for the distribution of laptops has been set at 90 days, under which 5,000 laptops will be given in the first 30 days, and 35,000 laptops will be given by November. 30,000 students will be selected from government institutions, while 10,000 from private institutions.18,000 female students will be given scholarships.68,329 applications have been received so far, out of which 34,290 have been confirmed.
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New Update
1. Honhaar Scholarship 2026 — new deadline and numbers
For 2026, online applications now have a last date of September 30, 2026, and this cycle offers 30,000 merit-based scholarships that cover full-degree tuition fees with the last date for submission of online applications being September 30, 2026 and a total of 30,000 merit-based scholarships being offered.
2. CM Laptop Scheme — relaunched after an 8-year gap
The article only mentions numbers, but the new development is that the laptop scheme was relaunched in 2026 after an eight-year gap, and is now managed by the Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC).
3. Phase 2 has started — now includes private university students
The Laptop Scheme’s Phase II is now live, and it started in Gujranwala Division with extended registration deadlines, and now includes private university students as well — previously it was limited to public-sector students only
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