By Amal Jayasinghe BBC reporter in Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan military has announced a major recruitment drive - its first since entering into a ceasefire with Tamil Tiger rebels.

The army says it is enlisting 5,000 men to rebuild depleted units of the army and allow thousands who have put in long-years of service to retire.

The ceasefire may mean downsizing

The army's deputy chief of staff, Major General Lohan Gunawardena, says they can afford to be choosy this time.

The army is demanding higher educational standards.

The upper age limit of new recruits has been cut by four years to ensure younger and more educated men join the army.

Ceasefire

Previous mass recruitment drives failed to attract the numbers expected because of the heavy casualties suffered by the army fighting a seemingly unending war.

However, the latest recruitment drive is being carried out against the backdrop of an open-ended ceasefire with Tamil Tiger guerrillas and the prospect of a political settlement to the long-running separatist war.

The Sri Lankan army says it is already preparing plans to downsize and deploy some of the units for national development work in the event of a final peace settlement.

In the meantime, the army is taking advantage of the ceasefire to withdraw troops from former battle fronts and send them for further training.

Thousands of army deserters have also shown an interest in rejoining the army following the ceasefire deal and General Gunawardena says they will soon consider a fresh amnesty for deserters.

Reorganisation

The new recruitment push is designed to help the army undertake a major internal re-organisation.

The measures will pave the way for thousands to be discharged from the army after more than 12 years in service.

After serving the minimum number of 12 years to qualify for retirement from the army, many have been unable to get the discharge they have applied for.

The army says poor enlistment and heavy casualties in the past prevented them from allowing some 1,000 men to retire - even though they put in over 22 years of service.