The Central Government has revised its laptop and electronic device procurement policy, allowing eligible government officers to retain official laptops, tablets and similar devices after four years of use. The new guidelines also increase the maximum purchase limit to ₹1.8 lakh plus taxes for devices with a higher Make-in-India component.
The Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance issued the revised guidelines on November 10, 2026, replacing the previous instructions issued in July 2023.
Under the new policy, government departments can purchase laptops, tablets, notebooks, ultrabooks and similar devices costing up to ₹1.5 lakh plus taxes. However, the price ceiling increases to ₹1.8 lakh plus taxes for devices with more than 40% Make-in-India content. The limits include standard software costs.
Who is Eligible for Government-Issued Laptops?
The revised guidelines specify eligibility based on the Seventh Central Pay Commission pay levels.
- Officers in Pay Level 12 and above are eligible across 100% of the department’s sanctioned strength.
- Officers in Pay Levels 8 to 11 (Gazetted) are initially eligible across 50% of the sanctioned strength. This can be increased to 75% with the approval of the department secretary in consultation with the Financial Adviser.
The allocation will also depend on departmental requirements and budget availability.
Can Government Employees Keep Their Laptops?
Under the revised rules, the devices will remain government property for the first four years from the date of purchase. After completing four years of use, officers can retain the devices without making any payment.
Before handing over ownership, departments must ensure that all official data stored on the devices is completely erased.
Officers who retire or leave government service before completing four years can also retain their devices by paying their depreciated book value. The government has prescribed an annual depreciation rate of 25% on a straight-line basis.
The guidelines also restrict officers from receiving another device within the four-year period unless the existing equipment is declared beyond economical repair.
The revised policy applies to central government ministries, departments and their attached and subordinate offices. State governments, public sector undertakings, autonomous bodies and consultants are not automatically covered by these guidelines.
The move updates the government’s technology procurement framework while allowing eligible officers to retain devices after their four-year official usage period.
