India expands educational assistance to Sri Lanka students by three fold

Galle, Jan.19 (ANI): Taking developmental assistance to Sri Lanka to a new level, India announced a substantial expansion in scholarships to Sri Lankan students on Thursday. Indian educational grant funding to Lankan students would increase three-fold to 2.5 billion Sri Lankan rupees.

Under this new programme, scholarships and self financing slots for undergraduate, masters and doctorate level courses will be increased to nearly 270 per year, and it includes 120 slots for undergraduate courses, 25 seats for IT engineering, 50 slots for master level courses and 40 slots for a highly subsidized self financing scheme.

In addition, support for deserving students perusing their GCE A level and university degrees in Sri Lankan institutions has been expanded to cover about 500 students annually.

Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna announced the expansion plan at the handing over ceremony of the Galle-Hikkaduwa segment of a southern railway project in southern Sri Lanka.

"I'm confident that the expanded scholarship programme will go a long way in further cementing our educational ties, " he said.

Krishna was also optimistic that the expanded scholarship programme would benefit all segments of Sri Lankan society, ranging from school students to university researchers and teachers.

He also expressed the hope that the expanded scholarship programme will go a long way in cementing educational ties between India and Sri Lanka. (ANI)