A student who followed a higher diploma programme at the University of Colombo has filed a lawsuit before the Nugegoda District Court seeking Rs. 5 million in compensation from the university administration, alleging examination irregularities that caused him to waste time, money and effort.
The plaintiff, Sanath Kumara Athukorala, has alleged that he was initially declared to have failed an examination but was later informed that he and several other students had passed the subject, despite no fresh examination being conducted in the intervening period.
According to the plaint, results issued in January 2025 showed that Athukorala had failed the subject. However, following complaints made to the university administration, a revised results sheet was issued in April 2025 indicating that he and several other students had passed.
Athukorala claims that no examination for the subject was conducted between January and April and alleges that the university authorities have so far failed to provide him with a satisfactory explanation as to how students initially declared unsuccessful were subsequently recorded as having passed.
The lawsuit also contains several allegations against lecturers involved in the Higher Diploma in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management offered by the Faculty of Management and Finance, which Athukorala enrolled in for the 2022/2023 academic year.
Athukorala alleges that a lecturer teaching Operations Management for Small Business, identified as subject 508, asked him through another student to deposit Rs. 80,000 into her bank account, claiming she urgently needed the money. He claims that he refused the request.
He further alleges that during a two-day workshop held at Vijaya Resort in Kiriella on 18 and 19 May 2024, he refused a request to allow the lecturer’s husband to stay in his room. According to the plaint, Athukorala believes these incidents led to hostility towards him.
Athukorala alleges that the lecturer subsequently departed from the prescribed marking procedure and awarded him lower marks in an arbitrary and retaliatory manner, resulting in his failure in subject 508. He has also alleged that questions due to appear in the examination had been disclosed to another group of students before the examination.
The plaint also raises allegations concerning subject 510, Business Strategy and Sustainability. Athukorala claims students were charged Rs. 3,500 each for a group project conducted as an external activity and alleges that some students who paid the money but did not actively participate in the project were nevertheless awarded full marks.
He argues that had the prescribed marking procedures been properly followed, he would have had an opportunity to obtain a higher grade.
Athukorala states that complaints over the alleged irregularities were made to senior university authorities as well as the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), and that investigations initiated following those complaints are continuing.
He further alleges that despite an investigation into the examination-related complaints, university authorities proceeded with a graduation ceremony and awarded qualifications, including to a student who had initially been declared to have failed.
Athukorala claims that the alleged actions of university officials prevented him from obtaining the academic outcome he expected from the programme and resulted in the loss of his time, effort and money.
Accordingly, he has asked the Nugegoda District Court to order the respondents to pay him Rs. 5 million in compensation.
The action has been filed against several lecturers and officials of the University of Colombo, including former Vice-Chancellor H.D. Karunaratne, Vice-Chancellor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake, as well as the Attorney General.
The plaintiff is represented by Attorney Danosha Perera.
