Only 19 Sinhala nationals have studied in the Eastern University

Forty percent of the students given admission by the South East University for the 2008/2009 academic year are Sinhala nationals.

Vice Chancellor Dr. Husain Ismail told BBC Sandeshaya that this is the first time Sinhala students were given admission since it was established in 1995.

The university was established, under the instructions of late MHM Ashroff, mainly for the benefit of Muslim nationals.

National university

However there has been an increase in applications by Sinhala students since the government captured the east from the Tamil Tigers.

361 Muslim nationals, 140 Sinhala students and 17 Tamils students were given admission to the South east University for the current academic year.

	SE university is taking Sinhala students for the first time since it was established

Admitting that a new trend is being witnessed this year, Deputy Education minister, Mayon Mustapha, said all universities should cater for every student irrespective of their nationality.

In Batticaloa, twenty seven percent of new university admissions are Sinhala nationals.

306 Sinhala nationals, 358 Tamil students and 79 Muslim students are among 743 students in Eastern University.

It is a considerable rise in Sinhala students after many years, authorities said.

19 Sinhala nationals have studied in the Eastern University before the ceasefire with the government and the Tamil Tigers broke out in late 2006.