• Law to be amended to original objectives to recruit military cadets, says PM 

Civilian students cannot be recruited to the General John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) under the current law and the core objectives of the institution, Prime Minister, and Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya claimed, adding that steps will be taken to amend the Act and reposition it as an international-level defence university.

Speaking about the recent controversy surrounding the university’s admissions and legal framework, the Premier said that the current situation stems from arbitrary decisions made by previous Governments, which have led to serious issues across the education sector, the society, and the Ministry of Defence.

“The KDU Act (the John Kotelawala Defence Academy Act, No. 68 of 1981) does not allow civilian admissions. That’s why it needs to be amended. This institution was established for training military cadets, and that was clearly stated when the land was originally allocated by late Prime Minister John Kotelawala. But today, the number of cadets has dropped significantly.”

In response to this drop, Dr. Amarasuriya said that the Government intends to transform the KDU into an international-standard military defence University, staying true to its original objectives. “We are preparing the required legal changes and planning the necessary investments to restructure the University accordingly.”

She added that certain decisions made by previous governments have created complications for students, the public, and the defence authorities. "As the Government, we're now reassessing how the KDU should operate - ensuring legal clarity, maintaining equal access to education, and managing the university in a way that doesn’t place an unfair burden on the Defence Ministry," the Premier added.

Located at Kandawala, Ratmalana, the KDU is the state defence University of Sri Lanka which is administered by the Defence Ministry.