For many poor families in Punjab, the cost of keeping a daughter in school is the reason she drops out. The Zewar-e-Taleem Program pays those girls a monthly stipend to stay in class, and it has run since 2018 under the Punjab Social Protection Authority. This guide explains the Zewar-e-Taleem Program 2026 stipend, who qualifies, which districts are covered and how a girl gets enrolled, because there is no online form to fill.
Detail
Zewar-e-Taleem Program 2026
Monthly stipend
Rs 1,000 per girl
Payment cycle
Quarterly, Rs 3,000 every 3 months
Who qualifies
Girls in classes 6 to 10, government schools, selected districts
Attendance rule
At least 80% attendance, reported by the school
Run by
Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA)
Launched
2018, and continued since
Helpline
Social Protection Helpline 1221
What Is the Zewar-e-Taleem Program
Conditional cash transfer: Zewar-e-Taleem is a conditional cash transfer programme that pays girls to stay in school, with the payment linked to attendance.
Run by PSPA: The programme is run by the Punjab Social Protection Authority, and the money is paid through a branchless banking system developed by PSPA.
Started in 2018: The programme began in 2018 to tackle the gender gap in education and to help underprivileged families afford their daughters’ schooling, and it has continued since.
Government schools only: Only girls enrolled in government schools are covered, and private school students are not eligible.
Scale of the programme: One 2026 guide reports that more than 7 lakh girls benefit across Punjab, which shows how wide the programme has grown.
Biometric payment: The stipend is paid after biometric verification, the same fingerprint check used for other PSPA cash programmes, and girls receive a biometric-enabled services card that works like an ATM card.
Zewar-e-Taleem Stipend and Payment
Monthly amount: Each eligible girl receives Rs 1,000 a month, as stated on the PSPA programme page.
Quarterly release: The money is released every quarter, so a full quarter at that rate is Rs 3,000, once the school reports the required attendance.
Attendance condition: Funds are released only when the School Education Department reports at least 80 per cent attendance for the girl.
Payment method: The stipend is paid through the branchless banking system, and girls withdraw it with a biometric-enabled services card at an ATM.
No fee: There is no fee for enrolment or for receiving the stipend, and no one should pay an agent for it.
Payment stops: The stipend is suspended if attendance falls below the required level, and it stops altogether if the girl drops out or completes class 10.
Female student: The student must be a girl, enrolled in a government school in Punjab.
Class 6 to 10: She must be studying in class 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, and students who complete class 10 leave the programme.
Low-literacy district: Her school must be in one of the selected districts with low female literacy rates, listed in the next section.
Poor household: The programme targets girls from financially challenged families, and eligibility is checked through the student’s B-Form, the parent’s CNIC, school records and a parental survey.
80% attendance: She must maintain at least 80 per cent monthly attendance, as recorded by her school.
Not repeating: A girl who is repeating the academic year is not eligible for the grant while she repeats.
Biometric verification: The girl must pass biometric verification before payments start, and the guardian completes the verification process.
Districts Covered by Zewar-e-Taleem
District list: The PSPA programme page names these districts: Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Bhakkar, Chiniot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Jhang, Kasur, Khanewal, Kot Addu, Layyah, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, Okara, Pakpattan, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Vehari.
Count note: The page’s opening line says 16 districts, but it names 17, so the list above follows the names as printed on the page.
Low literacy focus: These are districts with low female literacy rates, which is why the programme targets them first.
Outside the list: Girls in districts not named on the page are not covered by this programme, even if they meet the other conditions.
List can change: The government reviews the district list from time to time on the basis of enrolment data and education indicators, so check the current page before assuming a district is in or out.
How Girls Get Enrolled in Zewar-e-Taleem
No separate form: There is no separate application form for Zewar-e-Taleem, and parents do not apply online.
School enrolment drive: Girls are enrolled through the School Education Department’s annual enrolment drive, and the school confirms the student’s enrolment and enters her details into the official system.
Step 1 — Enrol in school: The girl must be enrolled in a government school in a covered district, in class 6 to 10.
Step 2 — Documents ready: Keep the student’s B-Form, the parent or guardian’s CNIC and the complete school details ready for verification.
Step 3 — Attendance tracked: The school tracks attendance every month, and the department reports it before funds are released.
Step 4 — Biometric verification: The guardian completes biometric verification, after which the stipend is released.
Step 5 — Check with the school: If an eligible girl is not receiving the stipend, contact her school first, or call the PSPA helpline on 1221 with the girl’s name, school and CNIC or B-Form number.
PSER record: Keep the household record updated in the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry at pser.punjab.gov.pk, since Punjab welfare programmes now use PSER data.
Missing stipend: The most common reason is attendance below 80 per cent, so check the school’s attendance record before anything else.
Wrong district: A girl in a district outside the programme list cannot be enrolled, no matter how deserving the case is.
Repeating a year: A girl repeating the academic year is not eligible, and the stipend will not be paid for that year.
No online form: Any website, message or agent offering a Zewar-e-Taleem online form is lying, because the programme has no separate form.
Never pay: Registration and payment are free, and anyone asking for money to enrol a girl or to release her stipend is committing fraud.
Keep records updated: A wrong B-Form number, a wrong school record or an out-of-date survey can block payment, so correct errors at the school or the helpline at once.
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Conclusion
Rs 1,000 a month: Zewar-e-Taleem pays Rs 1,000 a month to girls in classes 6 to 10 at government schools in the selected Punjab districts, released quarterly on 80 per cent attendance.
No form to fill: There is no separate application; girls are enrolled through the school enrolment drive, and biometric verification starts the payments.
Check the school first: If a girl is eligible but not paid, the school’s attendance record is the first place to check, and helpline 1221 is the next step.
Stay in school: Attendance is the whole condition of the programme, so keeping it above 80 per cent keeps the stipend coming.
How much is the Zewar-e-Taleem stipend in 2026? Eligible girls receive Rs 1,000 a month, paid quarterly as Rs 3,000 every three months, once the school reports at least 80 per cent attendance.
Who can get the Zewar-e-Taleem stipend? Girls in classes 6 to 10 at government schools in the selected low-literacy districts of Punjab, from financially challenged families, with at least 80 per cent attendance and successful biometric verification.
How do I apply for Zewar-e-Taleem? There is no separate form and no online application. Girls are enrolled through the School Education Department’s enrolment drive at their government school, and the guardian completes biometric verification.
Which districts are covered by Zewar-e-Taleem? The PSPA page names Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Bhakkar, Chiniot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Jhang, Kasur, Khanewal, Kot Addu, Layyah, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh, Okara, Pakpattan, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Vehari.
Why has my daughter’s Zewar-e-Taleem payment stopped? The usual reasons are attendance below 80 per cent, the girl repeating the year, dropping out, or completing class 10. Check the school’s attendance record first, then call helpline 1221.
Is there any fee for Zewar-e-Taleem registration? No. Enrolment and payment are free, and anyone asking for money to enrol a girl or release her stipend is committing fraud.
Shahzad Sahil is the editor of lahorejobs24.com, covering government jobs, private jobs, bank jobs, results and education news for Lahore and Punjab, with information verified from official sources.
