A Requirements Based University Admissions Policy Needed
Dilrook Kannangara
Sri Lanka’s university admission policy has always been mired in one controversy after another. On top of that the university system is in total disarray as the Minister of Higher Education stated in parliament. Thirdly, it is a well known fact that there is a dangerous subculture in universities. These suboptimal systems have their beneficiaries. Unfortunately the nation and its people are the losers although it is their money that is at play to the tune of 20 billion rupees (US$190 million). Separatist groups cleverly exploited the fear psychosis created by them that a certain ethnic group of the population must be provided with unfairly higher university opportunities, else armed struggle! Today poor Sri Lanka is producing the professionals of rich Canada free of charge on one hand and on the other churning out graduates to the local market with no real economic prospects.
Primary focus of university education seems to have gone wrong as it tries to gratify the students than the nation and the national economy. Producing whatever graduate is not going to help. Graduates must be produced based on the requirement out there in the ‘market’.
Ministry of Health figures show that there were only 0.589 physicians per 1000 people in 2006. (Source: National Census of Health Manpower, 2006). Conversely it means there were 1,700 people for a doctor. This puts Sri Lanka in a very bad position incompatible with its high Human Development Index ranking and per capita income. It is incredible how this nation managed the casualties of war. This is despite the fact that Sri Lanka produces about 950 medical graduates each year at a cost of 1.5 million rupees each. (Source: UGC 2008). In addition about 150 overseas medical graduates join in the workforce every year. However, the very low physicians per 1,000 people figure continues unfettered. What is the main reason for this consistently low ratio?
Going by these percentages, it can be deduced that 10%-20% of qualified doctors/dentists migrate, having benefited from free taxpayer funded education. This is only in the medical profession. The trend applies to most university graduates, especially graduates costing higher to produce.
Corruption worse than politicians
Producing a graduate cost taxpayers on average 1.2 million rupees excluding certain additional facilities awarded to most undergraduates. If the study course takes 4 years to complete, it costs 300,000 rupees a year. Alas! 300,000 rupees a year is higher than the average earnings of a Sri Lankan! If 250 graduates leave the country annually, it costs taxpayers 300 million rupees a year and for six years it is 1.8 billion rupees. Actual numbers may be much higher. This ranks them in par with politicians in terms of corruption. Corruption is defined as an unwarranted outflow from the system with no resultant benefits.
Worse of all a small percentage of migrated graduates engage in anti-Sri Lankan activities abroad. It is a double whammy. Government must look into this as it is a crime against the nation and its poor taxpayers. This act of siphoning out taxpayer funds always goes undetected. Emphasis should be added that there is nothing wrong with professionals migrating abroad as it brings vital foreign exchange to the country. What needs fixing is getting the due return for the investment in whatever form.
Discrimination and its Unseen Impact-1
Not all variables are same across the board. Disparities can be traced to ethnic groups as it has always been. Facts may surprise many who still believe in 1970s separatist propaganda. University opportunities are not available to all those who pass Advanced Level. Only a very limited number of opportunities are available in universities. Severe inequalities across ethnicity make the present admission policy discriminatory. Although 74% of taxpayers are Sinhalese, university opportunities for Sinhalas are significantly lower. In some study courses it is lower than 60%. On the other hand the present admission policy favours Tamils unfairly. Although Tamils comprised 17.7% of the total population of Sri Lanka in 1982, their numbers were 23.3%-40% in universities. The complete table is given below. (Source: UGC publications. Relates to 1982)
| FACULTY | PECENTAGE OF TAMIL STUDENTS | NATIONAL PERCENAGE OF TAMILS | EXCESS ALLOCATION |
| Vet Science | 23.3% | 17.7% | 32% |
| Architecture | 23.9% | 17.7% | 35% |
| Medicine | 25.3% | 17.7% | 43% |
| Agriculture | 27.1% | 17.7% | 53% |
| Bio Science | 28.9% | 17.7% | 63% |
| Engineering | 30.5% | 17.7% | 72% |
| Commerce | 34.2% | 17.7% | 93% |
| Phy Science | 38.0% | 17.7% | 115% |
| Dentistry | 40.0% | 17.7% | 126% |
Due to the effects of war a couple of universities are inaccessible to Sinhalas and Muslims. As a result of that and also due to the spread of Tamils around the country while the concentration of Sinhalas in fewer districts than in 1981, the above percentages have worsened today. Further, the national Tamil population percentage has reduced due to mass migration.
However, the requirements of the society are different. The society needs at least 74% Sinhala speaking doctors, dentists, agriculture graduates, engineers, etc. But the output is far less. Conversely, there is an excess of Tamil speaking graduates produced by universities due to the mismatch between the requirement and admission/output.
Clearly the university admission policy is discriminatory. But what are the effects of discrimination? Does this crime stop at this? Unfortunately, no.
Discrimination and its Unseen Impact-2
Originally due to the war and subsequently due to economic pressures, a large number of Tamils have migrated to western countries. It is estimated that close to a million Tamils migrated after 1983. End of the war doesn’t make things any better for them. When relatives and friends are earning five to ten times more, it exerts enormous pressure on Tamils living in Sri Lanka to follow their successful cousins. This never ending cycle ensures continued migration of educated Tamils. As there are 3 million Tamils in the country today, and a million abroad, it means 25% of the Lankan Tamil community has migrated. In professional circles this percentage is even higher.
Statistics aren’t available to exact the impact. Still, based on the above and available information an accurate figure can be derived. The following analysis contains professional accountants produced by the premier local accounting body.
| TAMILS | NON-TAMILS | TOTAL | |
| Resident in Sri Lanka | 51% | 80% | 75% |
| Resident abroad | 49% | 20% | 25% |
Particularly this field of work has a higher tendency to encourage emigration; other fields have considerably lower incidence. Conclusion number one is – the number of Tamils migrating is twice that of others. Conclusion number two is – on average 25%-30% of all Tamil graduates migrate. National average of migration rate is much lower.
The third aggravating factor is lower remittances per individual in the case of expatriate Tamils than others. Main reason is most expatriate Tamils don’t have close family members living in Sri Lanka. Most of their immediate family members have also migrated. Hence no need to remit money. In the case of Sinhalas and Muslims this is not so.
What happens when the rate of migration among Tamil professionals is twice higher than others and when Tamils get an unfairly higher share of university opportunities? We are wasting scarce, limited and expensive resources unfairly to our own disadvantage.
This is what is happening in Sri Lanka. Poor taxpayers are milked to the maximum to produce the professionals of rich countries with no return to them. It is not at all the fault of Tamil brothers and sisters who are making the most of the defect in the system. Fault lies in authorities for not having a fair university admission system that gives a return on investment for the nation and its poor taxpayers.
How to fix it?
Fixing the problem is three fold. A fair university admission policy needs to be adopted based on requirement. Country needs at least 74% Sinhala speaking professionals and at least 18% Tamil speaking professionals. Therefore it makes perfect sense to allocate university opportunities based on the language of proficiency. For practical purposes, these percentages can be calculated each year based on the percentages of candidates sitting Advanced Level examination subject to above limits.
E.g. If in any year the total number of first time sitting bio science students equal 100,000 of which 77,000; 15,000 and 8,000 completes the exam in Sinhala, Tamil and English media respectively, university positions should be allocated this way. Vacancies in medicine, dentistry and bio sciences, should be filled by candidates who sat the exam in Tamil, Sinhala and English media in the proportion 18% (since 15% is lower than 18%); 74% and 8% respectively.
As the percentage of English medium students increase, the allocation can also be increased with a proportionate reduction in the allocation of candidates sitting in Sinhala and Tamil media.
This is a perfectly fair system and above all, it is a transparent system. No one would be able to allege discrimination if this system is followed. Taxpayers too get their fair share of return. But the biggest advantage of it is the matching of the societal requirement with ‘production’.
In the same token, the number of undergraduate opportunities for study courses that offer fewer prospects in the marketplace need to be reduced while increasing opportunities for in demanded professions. Closer links with relevant industries is a must for technology courses. Identifying emerging industries and introducing new courses to harness them is a definite requirement.
Secondly, the financial aspect needs addressing. Graduates shouldn’t be stopped from leaving the country. Every graduate is charged a notional cost. Notional in the sense it need not be repaid if a specified number of years’ service is provided to Sri Lanka in return for free university education received. If leaving the country before that, a percentage of the cost based on the number of years of service to Sri Lanka, needs to be recovered financially. Per head cost varies from 200,000 rupees (law) to 2.2 million (dentistry) depending on the course of study. Paying a portion of this over a period of time is next to nothing for an expatriate.
Thirdly, private medical colleges, etc. must be allowed. As shown above, approximately 150 overseas medical graduates join the workforce every year. This is 12% of total annual addition to the medical workforce. It is a significant number. Unfortunately they have to pay a colossal amount of money (also in foreign currency) to get their education. It should not be so. If private medical colleges are established, all these undue costs will be saved. Not allowing private medical colleges and other educational institutions just because unions are against it is a national crime. The government must take a broader view on this.
Myths should not stand in the way to fair play and development but sadly, they do. There was a true story of a highway construction project coming to a standstill for days because workers were reluctant to cut down a tree said to house a spirit! Ridiculous? Not much when you consider racial allegations made by separatists on the university admissions policy. However, following the above method certainly dispels not only the possibility of discrimination but also the myth some created to extort an unfair share of limited opportunities from the silent majority.
The popular dictum of King Parakum is very appropriate here; not an iota of our resources should be allowed to leave us without proper use.
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