Students of the Kelaniya University, which remains closed after the April vacation, demand that their campus be re-opened immediately. They allege that the university cannot be re-opened as it lacks funds to conduct courses of study.

Convener of the Inter University Students’ Federation Udul Premaratne told The Island yesterday that the university administration had earlier said the university could not be re-opened until the enrolment of new batches of students. The new students, he said, were scheduled to enter on June 23 but the seniors would have to wait until July 28 to resume their studies. This decision had adversely affected over 8,000 students, he said.

He said around a sum of one million rupees was required per day for the university to function. "The university authorities are trying to save funds by keeping the campus closed," he alleged.

Vice Chancellor of the Kelaniya University dismissed this allegation and said the classes for the seniors would recommence immediately after the completion of the orientation programmes of the new comers.

University sources said the postponement of the resumption of classes of seniors was part of a strategy to prevent inhuman ragging during the first few weeks of orientation programmes.

Minister of Higher Education Prof. Wiswa Warnapala said on Tuesday that the ministry was having discussions with the IGPto devise ways and means of preventing university ragging, which he described as the mother of all battles.