The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya

¶ 01 Chair, the answers to the Hon. Member’s questions are as follows.

¶ 02 1. For the 2025 university intake, 274,361 candidates sat the G.C.E. (A/L) examination across subject streams. The numbers by stream are tabled.

¶ 03 Table tabled: - Arts: 94,040 - Biology: 52,867 - Bio-systems Technology: 8,447 - Commerce: 56,691 - Engineering Technology: 19,367 - Physical Science: 35,722 - Other: 7,227 Total: 274,361

¶ 04 2. Of these, 177,920 candidates obtained the minimum qualifications for university admission. Details by field are tabled.

¶ 05 3. For the 2024/2025 academic year, the proposed university intake is 43,237. This represents 15.76% of those who sat the exam, and approximately 24.3% of those who qualified.

¶ 06 4. New courses have been introduced allocating 50 places at the Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine and 225 additional places in other universities. Sixty-six students have been allocated to certain existing courses at other universities. Details are tabled.

¶ 07 Tables tabled: - Proposed admissions to existing courses at other universities (selected examples): 1. Translation Studies – University of Jaffna – 10 2. Translation Studies – Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka – 7 3. Business Studies – University of Moratuwa – 1 5. Medicine – Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka – 1 7. Physical Sciences – Eastern University, Sri Lanka – 2 8. Applied Sciences (Biological) – Rajarata University of Sri Lanka – 15 9. Applied Sciences (Physical) – Rajarata University of Sri Lanka – 10 10–14. Selected programmes at Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka (Chemistry, Engineering Technology, Food Science & Technology, Physical Education) – small allocations (Total in this segment: 66)

¶ 08 - Proposed numbers for introducing existing programmes to other universities: 1. Bio-systems Technology (BST) – University of Kelaniya – 75 2. Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) – Sabaragamuwa University – 50 3. Information and Communication Technology – University of Vavuniya – 10

¶ 09 5. Ongoing higher education reforms aim to ensure that at least 50% of students entering Grade 1 eventually obtain a degree or advanced higher education pathway (academic, professional or technical). Structural and legal measures are being implemented to meet human resource needs across sectors, expanding capacity in state universities and other higher education institutions to accommodate more students entering from schools.