he laptop scheme, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s flagship programme for the youth, was launched in 2012, when he was the Punjab chief minister. It was briefly suspended when the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) came into power, in 2018; and resumed when the Sharif-led coalition occupied the treasury benches in the National Assembly last year. In the Finance Bill 2023-24, the government has allocated special funds for the scheme.

An important question that needs to be asked is whether our college/ university students really need a laptop for their studies.

A laptop isn’t among a university student’s essentials, says Sana Rasool, a communications graduate who is now working with the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB). “The only time they need it is to make PowerPoint presentations or browse through relevant material on the internet. Otherwise, they are good with just taking classroom notes and attending tutorials.”

Dr Khurram Shehzad, an assistant professor at the School of Communication Studies, Lahore, is of the view that internet connectivity is a basic research tool. “Though our library is quite resource-rich, the virtual world gives us instant access to more diverse knowledge.”

However, he adds that most students now own a smartphone that does the needful and is also more easily portable.

What about the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) students?

Mudassar Nazar, a student of MPhil in electrical engineering at a private university on Raiwind Road, insists that most study material is now available in PDF files rather than in printed books. “Insofar as gaining access to study material is concerned, yes, we do need a laptop.”

he laptops awarded to the students under the prime minister’s scheme have the same specifications no matter whether the recipient is a student of business or pure sciences.

Dr Mohsin Ali, an associate professor at the Information Technology University (ITU) and the co-founder of Intelligent Machines Lab, who won a Google Research Scholar Award in 2021, says that the “effectiveness of such schemes depends on the objectives they aim to achieve.

“What makes these schemes truly powerful is democratising online access. Huge parts of Pakistan still do not have decent internet access. Without [internet] connectivity, a laptop is just a machine whose computational capacity depreciates over time.” — Dr Mohsin Ali.

“If the objective is to increase computer literacy, providing laptops can be helpful. What makes these schemes truly powerful is democratising online access. Huge parts of Pakistan still do not have decent internet access. Without [internet] connectivity, a laptop is just a machine whose computational capacity depreciates over time. But with internet access, it becomes a gateway for students to a world full of tutorials and video lectures from prestigious institutions like the MIT and Harvard or Gordon Ramsey, covering diverse topics from programming to cooking. It also opens up communication channels, connecting students to peers in Europe, China and beyond. In addition, considering the rising gig economy and freelancing culture, training students with laptops can contribute to the economy. It’s at least a dream worth pursuing.”

“It is important to acknowledge that Dr Ali, who teaches deep learning and computer vision, concludes by saying that laptops are “just booster schemes and not the complete solution. [Laptops] cannot replace classrooms, labs, libraries and teachers. They are just tools. We still need to invest in training teachers, updating curricula to reflect local culture and language and providing a holistic education experience.”

r Muzamil Husain, who teaches medicine at the Fatima Jinnah Medical University (FJMU), believes that the best use of internet-connected laptops is online classes.

For Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali, who works with the Wildlife and Environmental Health at the Institute of Zoology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, and is the focal person for the government’s scholarships and laptop schemes, “having a laptop is generally considered a necessity for science students. While some universities and institutions provide computer labs or access to shared resources, having a personal computer is convenient.”

However, he insists that whether the students need laptops for their studies can vary, depending on the specific requirements of their programme and university.

Dr Ali seconds him, saying that every institution creates the need and effective use of the gadget as per their own curriculum goals. “At institutions like ITU, courses heavily focus on AI, data, science, machine learning and related fields. Programming is an important component of the curriculum. Students with laptops can gain access to online programming tutorials and tools like Colab, helping them improve their programming skills.”

However, he is quick to add that the laptops provided under the prime minister’s scheme “do not address the significant deficiency in computational resources faced by the AI community in Pakistan.”

So, what are the requisite specifications for laptops for students?

According to Dr Ali, the government should “prioritise durability and ruggedness over fancy aesthetics. The laptops should have processors and RAM that can support the students’ needs for the next few years of their studies. An interesting strategy could be to support the growth of the local industry in manufacturing such machines.”

The writer is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship