Law and Order:

Students shifted to other universities

by Harshini PERERA

A total of 183 first year students from different faculties and 70 final year students of the Commerce and Management Faculty of Eastern University who have been categorised as displaced students have been temporarily transferred to universities other than to the University of Jaffna and the South Eastern University said Dr. S. Pathmanathan, Acting Vice Chancellor of the Eastern University to the Sunday Observer.

Fifty five medical and 100 Commerce students, were temporarily allocated to other universities, 60 students were transferred to the Open University and 40 from the Management Faculty to the Wayamba University. Ten first year students will start their university education from next year in the University of Ruhuna.

The immediate cause for these changes was due to the shooting which took place in the Eastern University on 21st August 2008 when a 4th year student had been shot who was a resident in the hostel. This incident had caused panic among students.

Prof. Gamini Samaranayaka, Chairman of University Grants Commission explained, "No University in Sri Lanka entertains discrimination and the placement of students is solely done according to the national policy of admission which is known as Z-score. Therefore, the admission of students to the Eastern University were based on Z-score. While questioned on the present security situation in the Eastern University, the Chairman assured that security will be provided by the law enforcement authorities and they will enforce the law."