PR 31

At a function organized by the High Commission of India Colombo, on 01st of October, 2009, 100 Sri Lankan students were awarded Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships. These students were selected from all the 25 districts of Sri Lanka on the criterion of merit-cum-means and on the basis of their performance in ‘O’ level examinations 2008 as well as interviews jointly conducted by High Commission of India Colombo and Ministry of Higher Education, Government of Sri Lanka. The selected scholars will receive a financial assistance at Rs.1,500/- per month for a period of two years to enable them to successfully pursue their “A” Level courses.

Depending upon their performance, some of these students can also be selected for ICCR scholarships for various undergraduate and postgraduate courses of study in India. Presently Government of India awards about 75 scholarships to Sri Lankan nationals for pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate courses in various reputed institutes and universities in India. Besides this, the High Commission of India also awards five Commonwealth scholarships and three Cultural Exchange Programme scholarships for research and higher studies. Government of India also offers two scholarships and one fellowship through the SAARC Secretariat to Sri Lankan students and a SAARC chair on rotational basis to member countries of SAARC, which comes to Sri Lanka every Sixth year.

Colombo