Colombo, September 24 (newsin.asia): The prestigious Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships for 2016-17 were awarded to 150 Advanced Level school students from all 25 districts across Sri Lanka, by Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Minister of Education, V. Radhakrishnan, State Minister of Education and Taranjit Singh Sandhu, High Commissioner of India, at a special ceremony held at the Ministry of Education Auditorium, Battaramulla on Friday.
The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship, a merit-cum-means based Scholarship instituted in 2006-07 for Sri Lankan students, was awarded annually by the High Commission of India in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka. Recipients receive cash assistance during their two years of ‘A’ level studies, Head of Press,Information and Culture at the Indian High Commission Niteen Yeola said.
” We have increased the scholarship amount from LKR 2,000 to 2,500 per month commencing 2015-16 onwards and accordingly, this year’s awardees will receive Rs. 30,000 annually during their two years of ‘A’ level studies.
High Commissioner Singh highlighted the importance of having closer interaction between the youth of both countries, various scholarship schemes India was offering to Sri Lankan students and the projects being carried out by the Indian government to assist Sri Lanka in the education sector.
He also spoke about the transformation that was taking place in India in the fields of Science and Technology, Agriculture, Space Research, Education and Health.
The Sri Lankan Ministers of Education and State Minister of Education recalled the robust Indo-Sri Lanka relationship and appreciated the Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship Scheme which had benefited 1100 meritorious students since its inception in 2006.They also commended the other educational projects supported by the Government of India.
A total of 150 students (six each from 25 districts) were selected in March/April 2017 by a joint selection committee comprising officials from the High Commission of India and the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka, based on the performance of students at the ‘O’ level examinations and an interview,Yeola noted.
He said that the Government of India was also providing opportunities to young Sri Lankans to study in reputed Indian Institutions of higher education through more than 270 scholarships per year, besides providing 370 short-term training slots every year to working professionals from Sri Lanka under ITEC programme.
(The featured picture at the top shows Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Sri Lanka Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam lighting the traditional oil lamp)
