No Mahapola scholarship for undergrads boycotting lectures, says UGC

University undergraduates boycotting lectures, as part of ongoing protests against the South Asian Institute of Technology & Medicine ( SAITM), will have their Mahapola Scholarships suspended, the University Grants Commission (UGC) said.

UGC Chairman Mohan de Silva told the Sunday Times that the UGC had been notified by the Mahapola Higher Education Trust Fund (MHETF) that, undergraduates boycotting lectures for almost three months, as part of the anti-SAITM protest campaign, will have their Scholarship Grant suspended. “We have forwarded the letter to the Vice Chancellors of all universities,” he added.

Activities of the MHETF are performed by a Board of Trustees under the Chairmanship of the Chief Justice.

Prof de Silva said universities had been instructed to give a list of the undergraduates who have been boycotting lectures.

At present, an undergraduate holding a Mahapola Scholarship receives Rs 5,000 per month.

"The boycott has severely curtailed academic activities at universities, while exams have also been postponed," Prof de Silva stated.

"As such, providing scholarships for undergraduates who refuse to turn up for lectures, was a waste of State funds," he pointed out.

Some 50,000 undergraduates, including 13,000 first-year students, receive scholarship funds.

MHETF Acting Director General Parakrama Bandara said: "Medical faculties have started identifying undergraduates who are boycotting lectures and would suspend their scholarships," he said. “They will only be reconsidered for scholarships once the university is satisfied of their level of attendance.”

Mr Bandara said the fund does not suspend scholarships for academic boycotts which only last a few days or weeks. “But three months is too much.”

An undergraduate found guilty of not attending lectures for three months will not be eligible for Mahapola funds for three months. This term maybe extended subject to how long the lecture boycott lasts.

Inter- University Students’ Federation ( IUSF) Convener Lahiru Weerasekara, however, said, "The Goverment's intention is to permanently strip students of their scholarship, as punishment for the protest campaign. Nevertheless, students are determined to continue their struggle against SAITM and will not be deterred by this action," he insisted.