🎓 1st Efficiency Bar Examination for Officers of the Sri Lanka Principals Service – 2026

The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education has announced the 1st Efficiency Bar Examination for Officers of the Sri Lanka Principals Service – 2026.

The examination is scheduled to be held in February 2027 in Colombo for officers in Grade III of the Sri Lanka Principals Service and officers appointed to Class 3 of the Sri Lanka Principals Service on a supernumerary basis, in accordance with the relevant Service Minute and Cabinet Decisions.

📢 Examination Application Dates

🗓️ Online Application Opens: 28 September 2026 at 9.00 AM
⏰ Online Application Closes: 26 October 2026 at 9.00 PM
📍 Examination: February 2027
🏙️ Examination Centre: Colombo
💻 Application Method: Online only

Applications are available through the “Online Applications – Recruitment/EB Exams” section under “Our Service” on the Department of Examinations website.

Applicants must submit their applications online within the specified period. After submitting the online application, the applicant must download it, complete the relevant sections of the printed copy by hand, attest the signature, and submit a copy to the Head of the Institution for inclusion in the applicant’s personal file.

📚 Examination Procedure

The examination consists of three subjects:

No.	Subject	Time	Maximum Score	Minimum Pass Mark
01	Provisions of the Establishments Code and the Public Service Commission Procedural Rules	2 Hours	100	40
02	Financial Administration and Financial Regulations in Schools	2 Hours	100	40
03	Link Language (English)	3 Hours	100	40

Each subject carries 100 marks, and candidates must obtain at least 40 marks to pass each subject.

📖 Examination Syllabus

📘 Subject 01 – Establishments Code & PSC Procedural Rules

Knowledge will be tested on the specified chapters of the Establishments Code and the Public Service Commission Procedural Rules, including Chapters:

VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XXIII, XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII, XXIX, XXX, XXXI, XXXII, XXXIII, XLVII and XLVIII.

The relevant Public Service Commission Procedural Rules were published in Gazette No. 2310/29 dated 14 December 2022.

💰 Subject 02 – Financial Administration & Financial Regulations in Schools

Candidates will be tested on their general understanding of areas including:

🔹 Budget estimates
🔹 Financial control
🔹 Authorization of financial responsibilities
🔹 Accounting for receipts and disbursement of funds
🔹 Payments and public finance
🔹 Trusteeship
🔹 Imprest and bank accounts
🔹 Works and services
🔹 Board of Survey
🔹 Audit inquiries
🔹 Ledgers used in government offices
🔹 Income and expenditure summaries
🔹 Bank reconciliations
🔹 Unpaid salaries
🔹 Office telephones and financial regulations

🇬🇧 Subject 03 – Link Language (English)

Candidates are expected to demonstrate a suitable level of proficiency in written English.

The grammar component includes:

✏️ Tenses and Numbers
✏️ Simple, Compound, Complex and Compound-Complex Sentences
✏️ Relative Clauses
✏️ Reported Speech
✏️ Adjectives and Adverbs
✏️ Determiners
✏️ Prepositions

The writing component covers:

📝 Summary Writing
📝 Report Writing
📝 Essay Writing

🌐 Medium of Examination

📌 Subjects 01 and 02: Sinhala or Tamil

Candidates must select one examination medium and cannot change the medium indicated in the application.

📌 Subject 03 – Link Language Test: English only.

📋 Important Application Instructions

The online application must be completed in English only.

Applicants should carefully follow the instructions provided by the Department of Examinations before completing the application.

📱 The Department will notify the mobile number or email address used in the application regarding whether the submitted application has been accepted as a valid application.

⚠️ Incomplete applications will be rejected without notice.

⚠️ Amendments made to the application after obtaining a printed copy will not be considered valid.

Applicants are also responsible for any consequences resulting from delaying submission until the closing date.

🪪 Admission & Examination Hall Requirements

The Commissioner General of Examinations will issue online admissions to eligible candidates who have submitted properly completed applications before the closing date.

Candidates will be informed through a web notification/SMS when admissions are issued.

If an applicant does not receive the admission, the applicant should contact the Institutional Examinations Organization Branch of the Department of Examinations Sri Lanka.

The candidate’s signature on the admission must be attested by the Head of the Institution or an authorized officer.

Candidates must bring the required admission and hand it over to the invigilator. Candidates who fail to submit the admission will not be permitted to sit the examination.

🪪 Acceptable Identification Documents

Candidates must prove their identity for each subject.

The following documents are accepted:

✅ National Identity Card
✅ Valid Passport
✅ Valid Sri Lankan Driving Licence

Candidates must also comply with the examination hall requirements concerning face and ear coverings so that their identity can be verified and the use of electronic communication devices can be checked.

💳 Examination Fees

For the first attempt, no examination fee will be charged for the entire examination or any part of it.

For subsequent examinations:

💰 Fee for one subject: Rs. 250/-

Accepted payment methods include:

💳 Credit card
💳 Debit card with online payment facility
🏦 Bank of Ceylon Online Banking / Flex App
🏦 Any Bank of Ceylon branch

Payment will be acknowledged by SMS or email. The Gazette states that applications with an underpaid or overpaid examination fee will be rejected. Examination fees are not refundable or transferable to another examination.

📌 Important Notice for Candidates

Candidates should carefully check all personal information entered in the application, including:

🔹 Name
🔹 National Identity Card number
🔹 Address
🔹 Other personal details

Requests to amend such information after the results have been issued will not be considered.

The Gazette also states that requests for amendments made at the examination hall will not be entertained.

🏛️ Official Examination Information

The examination is conducted by the Department of Examinations Sri Lanka under the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education.

The results of all candidates who sit the examination will be submitted to the Secretary of the Ministry, and the results will be published on the Ministry website. The Commissioner General of Examinations will not issue individual result documents to candidates.

📥 Download the Official Gazette

Candidates are strongly advised to read the official Gazette notification and application instructions carefully before submitting an application.

📄 Gazette Publication: 25 September 2026
📜 Gazette Reference: 09-338/2
📅 Application Closing Date: 26 October 2026 at 9.00 PM
🎓 Examination: February 2027

⚠️ Important: Applicants should follow the official instructions and deadlines published by the Department of Examinations. The information above is based on the Gazette notification dated 25 September 2026.

🔗 Useful Link

🌐 Department of Examinations Sri Lanka: www.doenets.lk

Candidates should use the “Online Applications – Recruitment/EB Exams” section under “Our Service” to access the relevant online application.

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