Ceylinco Life to present Rs. 8.4 m as 164 ‘Pranama’ scholarships in 2012

A batch of 164 high achieving young Sri Lankans is to be recognised and rewarded with scholarships totalling Rs 8.4 million at the 11th annual edition of the Ceylinco Life ‘Pranama’ scholarships programme, the life insurance leader has announced.

The company has now commenced accepting applications from eligible candidates for the scholarships which are presented in five categories to school children and young adults who excel in academics or at national or international level in sports, drama, invention or creativity.

Applications for the next round of scholarships close on 30 November 2011 and selected recipients are to be awarded their scholarships at a gala ceremony at the Ceylon Continental Hotel on 28 January 2012.

To date Ceylinco Life has assisted 1,152 students and young adults with Rs. 37 million in scholarships under the initiative.  

“By rewarding young people in different spheres through Pranama, Ceylinco Life has motivated many versatile young leaders to reach their potential,” Ceylinco Life’s Director/Deputy CEO T. Ranasinghe said. “The initiative has begun to have an enduring impact on the community, as many scholarship recipients are now playing important roles in society as doctors, engineers and teachers.”

Ceylinco Life Pranama scholarships are presented to policyholders’ children who achieve the best results in their respective districts at the Year 5 scholarship examination and the GCE Ordinary Level examination; to those who achieve the four best results in each district at the GCE Advanced Level; to those who excel at the national level in sports, drama, invention or creative pursuits, and to the four students who achieve the highest marks islandwide in mathematics, biology, commerce and arts at the GCE (A/L) examinations, irrespective of whether or not they are the children of policyholders.

For the next round of scholarships, applications would be accepted from students who sat the Year 5 scholarship examination in 2011 and from GCE (O/L) and GCE (A/L) students who completed their examinations in 2010, the company said. All examination results submitted by applicants are checked and certified by the Department of Examinations. The National Merit scholarships – 10 of which are to be awarded next year – consider achievements in 2009 and 2010.

The values of the scholarships range from Rs. 25,000 each for the best results island-wide at the GCE (A/L), Rs. 35,000 each for national merit award recipients, Rs. 90,000 each for Year 5 scholarship winners, Rs. 72,000 each for GCE (O/L) winners, and Rs. 126,000 each for GCE (A/L) district winners. Students who are placed second, third and fourth at district level at the Advanced Level examinations will each receive Rs. 10,000.

One of many benefits available to Ceylinco Life policyholders, the Pranama scholarship scheme underscores the importance accorded by the company to education, which is one the key areas of intervention in the Ceylinco Life Rewards programme.

Besides the Pranama scholarships scheme, Ceylinco Life has also established the Ceylinco Aloka Fund for education, which pays up to Rs. 54,000 in 36 equal monthly instalments on the death of an active policyholder in the low income segment whose children are undergoing primary, secondary or tertiary education.