University of Colombo lawsuit seeks Rs. 5,000,000 after a former diploma student alleges exam irregularities and retaliation over marks.
A University of Colombo lawsuit filed by a former diploma student seeks Rs. 5,000,000 in compensation over alleged examination irregularities, arbitrary decisions and retaliation by university officials and lecturers.
Sanath Kumara Athukorala filed the compensation case before the Nugegoda District Court through Attorney Danosha Perera. He claims that the alleged actions caused him to waste time, effort and money.
The respondents include University of Colombo Vice-Chancellor Indika Mahesh Karunathilaka and former Vice-Chancellor H.D. Karunaratne. The case also names Faculty of Management and Finance Dean F.D.M. Nihal Sahabanthu and Head of Department Sashitha Abeydheera Manorathna.
Lecturers D.C.L. Diyaguarachchi and W.P. Premaratne are also named as respondents. Additional Registrar of Examinations Wajira Hapuginnaya Jayaratne and the Attorney General are among the other respondents.
Athukorala studied the Advanced Diploma in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management offered by the Faculty of Management and Finance. He belonged to the 2022/2023 batch.
According to his petition, the first assessment proceeded without problems. However, he alleges that he faced serious injustice during the second assessment.
The subjects involved were “Operations Management for Small Businesses” (508) and “Business Strategy and Sustainability” (510).
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University of Colombo Lawsuit Details Alleged Lecturer Dispute
Athukorala claims the lecturer responsible for subject 508 asked him to credit Rs. 80,000 to her account through another student because of a financial emergency. He says he refused the request.
He further alleges that another incident occurred during a workshop in the Kiriella area in May 2024. According to the case, he refused a request to accommodate the lecturer’s husband in his room. The husband had no connection to the university, the petitioner states.
Athukorala alleges that the lecturer subsequently developed animosity towards him.
He claims she then awarded him arbitrarily low marks and failed him in the examination. The petitioner alleges that this departed from the prescribed marking system and amounted to retaliation.
The University of Colombo lawsuit also raises allegations about the examination process. Athukorala claims that the contents of an examination paper were disclosed to another group of students before the examination.
He further alleges that students each paid Rs. 35,000 for a group project under subject 510. According to the petition, the lecturer awarded full marks to some students who were not actively involved in the project.
Changed Results and Rs. 5M Compensation Claim
Athukorala states that results released in January 2025 showed that he had failed. He then complained to the university administration.
However, according to the petition, the university issued another results sheet in April 2025. It stated that Athukorala and several other students had passed, despite no re-examination taking place.
The petitioner says the administration has not provided a reasonable explanation for how students initially recorded as failing later received passing results without another examination.
A complaint has also been lodged with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.
Athukorala further claims that internal investigations remain incomplete and that objections were raised. Nevertheless, university authorities proceeded with a convocation and awarded diplomas to the relevant students.
He alleges that the actions were illegal, fraudulent and arbitrary and prevented him from receiving the intended benefit of the course. He also claims he suffered embarrassment among his peers.
Athukorala is therefore asking the Nugegoda District Court to order the respondents to pay him Rs. 5,000,000 in compensation for the loss he says he suffered.
