KDU to lose billions due to snap Govt. decision

Monday, 26 May 2025 05:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

In a sudden and shocking move, the Government has closed the door on locally qualified G.C.E. Advanced Level (A/L) students for the Medical Degree at the Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) this year, depriving a large number of qualified students and causing a colossal income loss of approximately Rs. 2 billion.

The KDU annually recruits Cadets and Day Scholars (for a payment) for various degree programs, and as a result, has already recruited over 120 students in 2023 and 2024 to follow the Medical Degree for a payment of Rs. 12.5 million and Rs. 15 million, respectively, for the full five years. Following the recent results of the 2024 G.C.E. A/L examination, the KDU called for applications for the Medical Degree on 21 May through its official website, where only university-qualified students could apply with a fee of Rs. 17.5 million for the five years.

However, within hours after the advertisement, Defence Deputy Minister Aruna Jayasekera announced in Parliament that the Government will not be recruiting local A/L qualified students to the KDU this year. Accordingly, a special notice was inserted in the KDU website.

Although no reasons were given for the sudden change, it is believed that the pressure within the Government and from the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) had given rise to the Government’s sudden decision. As a result, the KDU will lose around Rs. 2 billion as plans were underway to recruit 100-120 students this year as well. Most of these students will now pursue their Medical Degrees overseas in countries like China, Malaysia, Nepal, Belarus, and Georgia, which will cause a drain in forex for Sri Lanka.

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.