Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2015-11-05

Considering the Higher National Diploma in Accountancy (HNDA) awarded by the SLIATE as an alternative qualification for the B.Com Degree

- Due to the cancellation of the Public Administration Circular No.46/90, issued in the year 1990, that considered the Higher National Diploma in Accountancy (HNDA) awarded by the Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education (SLIATE) as an alternative qualification to the Bachelor of Commerce Degree, through the Public Administration Circular No.10/2014 last year, the students who have completed the said Course are facing a considerable difficulty when applying for jobs in the public sector. This has caused an unrest among the students who follow the said Diploma, since the demand for the said Diploma holders from the private sector for job opportunities has also decreased, based on this precedent.

Since a very small number of 23,500 students are enrolled annually at state universities out of the 142,000 students who qualify for university entrance based on G.C.E. (A/L) results, a large number of students who had studied under the Commerce stream and lost university admission despite having very high results, follow the said Course given their economic background. Considering this situation, the proposal made by Hon. Lakshman Kiriella the Minister of Higher Education and Highways, to re‑enforce the Public Administration Circular No.46/90, by which the Higher National Diploma in Accountancy (HNDA) is treated as an alternative qualification to the Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) Degree, with effect from 2014‑04‑23 was approved by the Cabinet.