April 10, Colombo (LNW): During a recent Cabinet meeting, consent was granted to President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal to extend admission to local students for the medical degree programme at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU). This decision, announced by Cabinet Spokesman and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana at the weekly Cabinet media briefing, marks a significant expansion of educational opportunities in the medical field for Sri Lankan students.
Starting this year, local students will have the opportunity to pursue medical studies at KDU based on their ‘Z score’ obtained in the GCE Advanced Level Examination and other relevant qualifications. However, admission will be provided on a payment basis, reflecting the university’s existing model for enrolment.
The General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, established through the General Sir John Kotelawala State Defence Training Institute (Amendment) Act No. 27 of 1988, has played a vital role in providing education and training to cadet officers for service in the armed forces and police. In 2011, the university expanded its offerings with the establishment of the Faculty of Medicine, primarily to train cadet officers as medical professionals and confer degrees in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) in alignment with the service requirements of the Armed Services.
Until now, admission to the medical degree programme at KDU has been open to cadet officers and qualified foreign students on a payment basis. With the Cabinet’s recent decision, the university is poised to welcome local students into its medical programme, further enriching the educational landscape and contributing to the development of healthcare professionals in Sri Lanka.
