Indian envoy at University of Jaffna event
On June 2, Indian High Commissioner H.E. Santosh Jha distributed enhanced financial assistance to meritorious, economically underprivileged students at the University of Jaffna.
Funded by an Indian grant, this expanded initiative officially rolled out for the 2025–26 academic year.
It builds upon an earlier scholarship program introduced in 2023–24, which provided 100 selected students with LKR 5,000 per month based on their academic merit and financial need.
Following highly positive feedback and direct requests for an extension from both students and university officials, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the enhanced scheme during Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka’s state visit to India in December 2024.
The upgraded program expands support to students at both Eastern University and the University of Jaffna, increasing the monthly stipend to LKR 7,500 per undergraduate.
This assistance begins in their first year and continues through the completion of their degree, meaning that by the fourth year of implementation, a total of 400 students at the university will be receiving the scholarship.
During the distribution ceremony, High Commissioner Jha emphasized that this financial support is designed to propel academic pursuits, allowing beneficiaries to focus fully on their education, personal growth, and future opportunities.
This initiative aligns with India’s broader ongoing development partnerships in Sri Lanka’s education sector.
Past and current collaborations include the establishment of the Rabindranath Tagore Memorial Auditorium at Ruhuna University, the renovation of more than 79 schools in the Northern Province, and the donation of 110 buses to educational institutions island-wide.
Furthermore, India has established smart classrooms and computer labs in 200 schools in the Southern Province and constructed a multi-ethnic, tri-lingual school in Polonnaruwa in the North Central Province. Currently,
India is also implementing projects to upgrade nine plantation schools and establish 60 smart classrooms in selected plantation schools.