Management Service Officer Grade III Open Competitive Examination 2026 – Apply Online

📢 Management Service Officer Grade III Open Competitive Examination 2026 has been announced by the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Sri Lanka.

The examination for recruitment to the Management Service Officer Service Grade III will be conducted by the Commissioner General of Examinations in December 2026. Applications are accepted online only through the official website of the Sri Lanka Department of Examinations.

📌 Management Service Officer Exam 2026 – Key Details

🔹 Job/Service: Management Service Officer Service – Grade III
🔹 Examination: Open Competitive Examination – 2026
🔹 Examination Date: December 2026
🔹 Application Method: Online Only
🔹 Application Opens: 31 August 2026 at 9.00 a.m.
🔹 Application Closing Date: 25 September 2026 at 9.00 p.m.
🔹 Examination Fee: Rs. 600/-
🔹 Examination Medium: Sinhala / Tamil / English
🔹 Salary Code: MN 02-2025
🔹 Salary Scale: Rs. 48,470 – Rs. 82,800
🔹 Employment Status: Permanent with pension benefits

🎓 Educational Qualifications

Applicants for the Management Service Officer Service Grade III must fulfill the educational and other requirements specified in the Gazette.

G.C.E. (O/L)

Applicants must have:

✅ Passed the G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination in six subjects at one sitting, including the relevant language (Sinhala/Tamil/English) and Mathematics, with Credit Passes in four subjects.

G.C.E. (A/L)

Applicants must have passed all subjects at the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination at one sitting, excluding the General Common Test and General English.

📌 All required qualifications must have been completed on or before 25 September 2026.

👤 Age Limit

Applicants must be:

🔸 Not less than 18 years of age
🔸 Not more than 30 years of age on the closing date of applications.

According to the Gazette, applicants must have been born on or before 25 September 2008 and on or after 25 September 1996.

Applicants must also be Sri Lankan citizens, possess good character, and have sufficient physical and mental fitness to perform the duties of the post and serve in any part of Sri Lanka.

💰 Management Service Officer Salary

The applicable salary code for this post is MN 02-2025, under Public Administration Circular No. 10/2025.

💵 Salary Scale: Rs. 48,470 – Rs. 82,800

The Gazette states that the salary applicable to selected candidates will be paid according to the relevant provisions, with the stated salary scale applicable from 1 January 2027.

📝 Management Service Officer Examination 2026

The competitive examination will be conducted in Sinhala, Tamil and English. Candidates must select one examination medium and answer all question papers in the selected medium. The medium cannot subsequently be changed.

The examination consists of two question papers:

1️⃣ Language Proficiency

📖 Marks: 100
⏱️ Duration: 2½ hours

This paper tests areas including:

✅ Expression of ideas
✅ Comprehension
✅ Spelling
✅ Language and composition
✅ Drafting a given letter
✅ Preparing graphs and tables using given data
✅ Summarizing passages
✅ Combining ideas into a single sentence
✅ Basic grammar knowledge

2️⃣ Aptitude

🧠 Marks: 100
⏱️ Duration: 1 hour

The aptitude paper is designed to measure:

✅ Numerical ability
✅ Logical reasoning
✅ General intelligence

It consists of 50 questions in multiple-choice and short-answer formats.

🎯 Minimum Marks

Candidates must obtain:

✔️ At least 40% for each subject
✔️ At least 50% of the total marks

Appointments will be made according to the order of marks and the number of vacancies to be filled.

🗺️ District-Based Recruitment

Recruitment will be conducted on a district population ratio basis.

Applicants must select the district in which they wish to compete for vacancies when completing the online application. A candidate can compete for vacancies in only one district, and the selected district cannot subsequently be changed.

📍 District Eligibility

To compete for vacancies allocated to a particular district, an applicant must satisfy at least one of the following:

🔹 Have been born in that district; OR
🔹 Have continuously and permanently resided in that district for at least three years within the five years preceding the qualification deadline; OR
🔹 Have received secondary school education continuously for five years in that district.

🏙️ Examination Centres

Examination centres will be established in the cities specified in Schedule II of the Gazette.

Candidates must select their preferred examination city and correctly enter the relevant city number when completing the online application.

The Gazette includes examination centres covering districts such as:

📍 Colombo
📍 Gampaha
📍 Kalutara
📍 Kandy
📍 Matale
📍 Nuwara Eliya
📍 Galle
📍 Matara
📍 Hambantota
📍 Jaffna
📍 Mannar
📍 Vavuniya
📍 Mullaitivu
📍 Kilinochchi
📍 Batticaloa
📍 Ampara
📍 Trincomalee
📍 Kurunegala
📍 Puttalam
📍 Anuradhapura
📍 Polonnaruwa
📍 Badulla
📍 Monaragala
📍 Ratnapura
📍 Kegalle

♿ Vacancies for Persons with Disabilities

The Gazette states that 3% of the vacancies to be filled through this examination will be allocated for persons with disabilities.

Eligible candidates must obtain at least 40% in each subject and at least 50% of the total marks to qualify under this provision.

Applicants requiring special facilities for the examination must indicate this when completing the online application and provide the relevant medical certificates as specified in the Gazette.

💳 Examination Fee

The examination fee is:

💰 Rs. 600/-

The fee must be paid through one of the payment methods provided by the online application system, including:

💳 Any Bank Credit Card
💳 Any Bank Debit Card
🏦 Bank of Ceylon Online Banking / Flex App
🏦 Bank of Ceylon Teller Slip Payment

The full examination fee must be paid. Applications with an incorrect fee payment may be rejected, and the examination fee will not be refunded or transferred to another examination.

🌐 How to Apply Online

Applications must be submitted online only through the official website of the Sri Lanka Department of Examinations.

Applicants should visit the Department of Examinations website and go to:

➡️ Our Services → Online Applications – Recruitment Exams/E.B. Exams

The online application period is:

📅 Opening: 31 August 2026 – 9.00 a.m.
📅 Closing: 25 September 2026 – 9.00 p.m.

⚠️ Important: The online application must be completed in English, and applicants should download and carefully read the relevant Common Instructions before completing the application. Incomplete applications may be rejected without notice.

🎫 Admission Card

Admission cards will be issued online to eligible applicants who have correctly submitted their applications and paid the required examination fee.

The Department of Examinations will publish a notice on its official website when admission cards are issued and may also notify applicants by SMS.

🪪 Documents for the Examination

Candidates must bring their certified admission card to the examination centre.

For identification, candidates must produce one of the following documents:

🪪 National Identity Card
🛂 Valid Passport
🚘 Valid Sri Lankan Driving Licence

📌 Important Points for Applicants

⚠️ Select your district carefully because it cannot be changed after submission.

⚠️ Select your examination medium carefully because it cannot subsequently be changed.

⚠️ Make sure all educational and other qualifications are completed by 25 September 2026.

⚠️ Pay the exact examination fee of Rs. 600/-.

⚠️ Keep a copy of the submitted application and examination fee payment receipt.

⚠️ Check your admission card carefully when it is issued.

⚠️ Candidates must follow all examination rules imposed by the Commissioner General of Examinations.

📢 Management Service Officer Exam 2026 – Apply Before the Deadline

If you meet the required qualifications, make sure to submit your application before the closing date.

📅 Last Date: 25 September 2026
⏰ Closing Time: 9.00 p.m.
💰 Examination Fee: Rs. 600/-
📝 Application: Online Only

👉 Applicants are strongly advised to read the complete official Gazette notification and the online application instructions before applying.

📄 Download the Official Gazette

The complete Gazette notification contains the full recruitment conditions, examination rules, district requirements, examination centres and other important information.

📥 Download and read the official Gazette before submitting your application.

---

Source: Gazette Notification dated 28 August 2026, issued by the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government.

📢 Gazette Advertisement – Sinhala Preview

---

---