For the first time in 30 years:

Jaffna varsity accords rousing welcome for Southern students

by Ananth PALAKIDNAR

Seventy-two students from the South who gained admission to the University of Jaffna were given a rousing welcome and not ragged by the senior students of the university.

Senior Co-ordinator of Civil Affairs in Jaffna, Major Lal Nanayakkara told the Sunday Observer, that the University of Jaffna has an unblemished history with regard to its functions. Even during the height of the turbulent days in the North, the activities of the University of Jaffna continued uninterrupted.

“For the first time in 30 years, a large number of students is entering the Jaffna University from the South. Some of them have even entered from remote areas in the South,” Maj. Nanayakakra said.

The students from the South are entering all Faculties including the Medical, Law and the Management Faculties of the Jaffna University. Senior students of the University have organised a series of programs to make the freshers from the South comfortable in Jaffna. A sight-seeing tour has been organised by the Jaffna Law Faculty Students to tour important areas in Jaffna.

A cultural event was also organised by the Faculty of Law students to greet the newcomers. The students from the South who gained admission to the Jaffna University have been accommodated at the University Hostels. Sinhala students first entered the University of Jaffna when it was opened by the late Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike in 1975. However, after peace dawned 72 students including Muslims have entered the Jaffna University from the South, Maj. Lal Nanayakkara said.