Unemployed graduates from Sri Lanka’s Northern Province staged a protest outside the Jaffna District Secretariat on Monday(Oct19), raising concerns over alleged unfairness in the examination and interview selection process for government employment.
Police personnel were deployed in large numbers, and security was strengthened around the District Secretariat during the demonstration.
The protesting graduates alleged that their fundamental rights had been violated in connection with the recently concluded examination and the subsequent release of the list of candidates shortlisted for interviews.
They questioned the criteria used to prepare the shortlist, claiming that unemployed graduates had been largely excluded from the selection process.
The protesters further alleged that a significant number of graduates already employed in the public service had been selected across various subjects and districts, leaving unemployed graduates at a disadvantage. They said the selection process had caused widespread dissatisfaction among unemployed graduates.
The demonstrators stressed that seeking justice over the matter was their responsibility. They called for a fair and transparent examination marking system and demanded that graduates already employed in the public service and unemployed graduates be recruited on an equal basis, with a proposed 50:50 ratio.
The Northern Province-wide Unemployed Graduates Association is pursuing action within the applicable legal framework to address these concerns and seek a fair resolution to the recruitment process.
The protest was organised to draw attention to the graduates’ grievances and demand fairness and equal opportunities in public sector recruitment.
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