SLAS Limited Exam 2026 – Important Details

Available Vacancies

The Limited Competitive Examination is being conducted to recruit eligible candidates to Grade III of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. The Gazette states that 40 existing vacancies are expected to be filled through this limited recruitment process.

Salary Scale

According to Public Administration Circular No. 10/2025 dated 25 March 2025, the monthly salary scale applicable to the post is:

Other allowances paid by the Government to public officers from time to time may also apply according to the relevant regulations.

Who Can Apply for the SLAS Limited Exam 2026?

This is a limited competitive examination, so it is not an ordinary open recruitment examination. Applicants must satisfy the service, educational and other eligibility requirements specified in the Gazette.

Basic Requirements

• Must be a citizen of Sri Lanka.
• Must be of excellent character.
• Must possess adequate physical and mental fitness to serve in any part of Sri Lanka.
• Must satisfy the relevant public service and appointment requirements stated in the Gazette.

Educational Qualification + Service Experience Route

One eligibility route requires an applicant to possess a recognized degree awarded by:

• A foreign or state university recognized by the University Grants Commission; or
• A university established by an Act of Parliament in Sri Lanka; or
• A degree recognized under Section 25A of the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978.

In addition, under this route the officer must have completed at least five years of active and satisfactory service in the applicable permanent and pensionable Public Service or Provincial Public Service category specified by the Gazette, including the relevant MN-2-2025 or higher MN salary code / SL-1-2025 category.

Alternative Service Experience Route

The Gazette also provides an alternative route for eligible permanent and pensionable Public Service or Provincial Public Service officers in the applicable salary/service categories who have completed at least 10 years of active and satisfactory service.

Age Limit

An applicant must be not more than 53 years of age on the date on which eligibility is assessed. According to the Gazette, candidates whose date of birth falls on or after 28 August 1973 may satisfy the stated age condition, subject to all other requirements.

Other Important Eligibility Conditions

• Applicants must satisfy all required qualifications by the date specified in the Gazette.
• The relevant appointment/service must meet the permanency requirements specified in the notice.
• Applicants must comply with the disciplinary requirements applicable under Public Service Commission Circular No. 01/2020.
• A candidate cannot appear for this Limited Competitive Examination more than three times under the conditions stated in the Gazette.

Examination Fee

The examination fee is Rs. 1,200. Applicants should pay the complete examination fee using a payment method supported by the online examination application system.

SLAS Exam 2026 – Written Examination

The written examination consists of four question papers. Candidates are required to sit for all four papers.

1. General Intelligence

This paper evaluates analytical skills, logical understanding, interpretation, ability to identify relationships in numerical, linguistic and graphical patterns, application of information to different situations and the ability to reach logical conclusions.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Marks: 100

2. Social, Economic and Political Background of Sri Lanka & Global Trends

The paper covers Sri Lankan and global social, economic, political, cultural, scientific and technological developments and evaluates analytical, critical and strategic thinking abilities.

Duration: 3 hours
Marks: 100

3. Public Administration Related Study I

This subject relates to public administration and includes matters connected with the Establishments Code, Public Service Commission Procedural Rules and Financial Regulations. It is intended to evaluate candidates' practical administrative knowledge, creative thinking and problem-solving ability.

Duration: 3 hours
Marks: 100

4. Public Administration Related Study II

This paper evaluates creative, analytical and communication skills, including analysing and presenting information, reasoning, understanding complex material and summarising key ideas clearly and accurately.

Duration: 3 hours
Marks: 100

Examination Medium

The examination will be conducted in Sinhala, Tamil and English. Candidates must answer all question papers in the same language medium. The examination medium selected in the application cannot be changed later.

Interview and Final Selection

Candidates who obtain the required marks in the written examination will be considered for the interview process according to the conditions stated in the Gazette.

The interview process contains a general interview and a structured interview.

Final recruitment will be determined according to merit based on the marks obtained in the written examination together with the marks obtained at the structured interview, subject to the recruitment rules and decisions of the relevant authorities.

How to Apply for SLAS Limited Exam 2026

Applications must be submitted online only through the Sri Lanka Department of Examinations online examination application system. The online application must be completed in English.

Gazette, Instructions & Online Application

Important Dates – SLAS Limited Competitive Exam 2026

Frequently Asked Questions