The Hon. Madhura Senevirathna - Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education
The Deputy Minister, responding on behalf of the Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, provided admission figures for UGC universities and related institutions for 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, noting that the 2025 admissions process is still ongoing. He stated that children of public servants are not separately identified at the university application stage, but gave Mahapola, bursary and hostel data, including 1,863 Mahapola selections from 5,232 public-servant children applicants in 2023/2024 and ongoing selections for 2024/2025. He outlined current hostel capacity, an estimated shortfall of about 16,000 places, and a 2026–2030 plan to construct 55 hostels with Rs. 1,500 million allocated in 2026, while also detailing institution-specific scholarship and accommodation arrangements.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Question No. 1741/2025 – Children of Public Servants among State University Entrants in 2024/2025: Facilities Provided
¶ 02 Hon. Speaker, on behalf of the Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, I provide the following:
¶ 03 (a) (i) Admissions under the University Grants Commission and related institutions:
¶ 04 - UGC universities: - 2023/2024 admitted: 44,881 - 2024/2025 admitted (to date): 43,237 - Buddhist and Pali University: 164 (2023/2024), 186 (2024/2025) - Ocean University: 307 (2024/2025 planned) - University of Vocational Technology: 1,100 (2024/2025 planned) - General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University: 2,137 (2024/2025 planned)
¶ 05 Note: 2025 Academic Year admissions are not yet concluded. Processes to admit a further cohort (approximately 3,076 for specific institutions) are ongoing.
¶ 06 (ii) At application stage, children of public servants are not separately identified for university admission purposes.
¶ 07 (iii) Mahapola, bursaries and hostels: - Mahapola (2023/2024): Out of 5,232 applicants who are children of public servants, 1,863 were selected. For 2024/2025, selection is in progress. - UGC Circular 04/2025 governs bursaries; around 30,000 students are funded via universities. - Hostels: As at 31.12.2024, hostel capacity (including leased/affiliated hostels) can house 65,462 students. Currently, about 60–65 per cent of students receive hostel facilities; a further roughly 16,000 students require accommodation. A project to construct 55 hostels in 2026–2030 has been approved, with Rs. 1,500 million allocated in 2026.
¶ 08 Institution-specific: - Sri Lanka Buddhist and Pali University: All students with annual family income below Rs. 500,000 receive Mahapola or bursaries. Hostel residents: Local 262, Foreign 52 (total 314). - Sri Lanka Bhiksu University: Mahapola and bursaries are provided to resident monks (Mahapola to 410; bursaries to 456). - Ocean University: Students with annual income below Rs. 500,000 receive bursaries of Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 4,000. Hostels are limited; 195 students (2024) and 158 students (2025) accommodated, prioritizing low-income and those from distant areas. Diploma students may be accommodated similarly where demand exceeds capacity. - University of Vocational Technology: “Nipunatha Sisu Saviya” bursaries are paid; in 2024 to 1,213 students and in 2025 to 1,554 students. - Kotelawala Defence University: Mahapola is not paid; all cadet officers are provided free accommodation.
¶ 09 (iv) As stated above.
¶ 10 (b) Not applicable.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Thursday, 8 January 2026 ·No. 23118 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Madhura Senevirathna - Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 8 January 2026. No. 23118. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/4864