President Gotabaya Rajapaksa hands over letters of appointment to a selected group of graduates symbolizing the recruitment of 60,000 graduates to the public service in order to create a culture of ‘Rata Wenuwen Weda’ (Work for the country) as envisaged in the “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour” policy statement.

The simple ceremony that lasted just for 25 minutes was held at the Presidential Secretariat, today (02).

Even though applications were initially called to recruit 50,000 graduates, the government decided to recruit 60,000 on the instructions of the President.

Today the number of graduates joining the public service is 50,177. Out of this, 38,760 are women. The number of employed art graduates is 31,172. According to the graduate classification, 29,156 internal graduates and 20,322 external graduates have been recruited. Appointments were also given to 1000 monks.

Among other graduates 1839 are from Commerce stream, 7278 from Management, 4494 from Science, 143 from Indigenous Medicine and 161 from Allied Health Science, 989 from Computer Technology, 233 from Engineering and Law and 1906 from Diploma in Accounting.

Job recipients will be directed to a leadership, skills and attitude development training programme.

At the end of the one year training period appointees will be employed in institutions directly related to the rural sector such as Rural and Estate Schools, Department of Agrarian Services, Regional Irrigation Offices, Department of Wildlife, government Ayurvedic hospitals, Rural Hospitals, Dispensary and Department of Minor Export Crops.

President requested the appointees to actively contribute to the development process.

He emphasized that newly appointed employees should do justice to the salaries they earn and avoid being a burden to those who are engaged in agriculture and fisheries sectors who earn money to pay salaries of the public sector.

President highlighted that the responsibility lies with the newly recruited to enhance their knowledge in the selected field and to pursue post-graduate studies and computer training for the furtherance of their careers.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa,Ministers Chamal Rajapaksa, G.L. Peiris, Bandula Gunawardene, Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, Keheliya Rambukwella, Dullas Alahapperuma and Namal Rajapaksa, head of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival Basil Rajapaksa , several State Ministers and Ministry Secretaries were present on the occasion.