Government has awarded 2500 laptops to PhD, M.Phil and MS students of Allama Iqbal Open University
(AIOU) under the Prime Minister’s youth scheme.
The scheme is being implemented on country-wide basis in accordance with the criteria, set by the Higher Education Commission
(HEC), said Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui while presiding over a laptops’ distribution ceremony, said a press
release here Sunday.
At first stage, students of Rawalpindi and Islamabad received the award and later the distribution took place among the students
of Multan, AJK and Lahore.
The students of Peshawar, Quetta, Karachi and Gilgit will also receive the same this month.
It was the third consecutive phase that University’s students were included in PM’s scheme. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui reiterated his
pledge to develop the University as a Center of research-based activities.
He appreciated the hard work of the students, stating that they desired the honour. The University, he said received
spectacular distinction among the country’s educational institutions in term of enrollment that reached to 1.3 million, among those 56
percent are females, mostly belonged to remote regions.
Dr. Shahid Siddiqui shared with the laptops’ recipients the University’s academic achievements in the recent years, particularly
developing it as research-based institution. They have published twelve brand new journals and arranged twenty-one national and
international conferences during last two and half years.
Special focus was also laid on professional development, students’ support system and revision of curriculum. Qualitative
improvement was brought about in admission, examination and books’ mailing system.
He also apprised the students about community’s welfare projects undertaken in the recent years that included provision of
free education to all categories of disabled, prisoners and drop-out students.
He hoped that the laptops will help them to undertake innovative and applied research work to serve the society. The
ceremony was also addressed by Director Regional Affairs Dr. Arif Saleem Arif and Director Students’ advisory services Rana Tariq
Javed.

Source : APP