Exam Rules and Instructions for Candidates Sinhala Tamil English 2026 | විභාග නීති | பரீட்சை விதிகள்
This post includes the complete rules, instructions, and guidelines for examination candidates, issued by the Department of Examinations. All applicants are strongly advised to read and follow these regulations carefully to avoid disqualification, penalties, or legal action during or after the examination.
මෙම ලිපිය තුළ විභාග අපේක්ෂකයන් සඳහා සම්පූර්ණ නීති, උපදෙස් සහ මාර්ගෝපදේශ අන්තර්ගත වේ. විභාගයේදී හෝ ඉන් පසු කිසිදු ගැටලුවක්, දඩුවම් හෝ අහිමිවීම් වලට ලක් නොවීමට සියලුම අපේක්ෂකයන් මෙම නීති අවධානයෙන් කියවා අනුගමනය කිරීම අත්යවශ්ය වේ.
இந்த பதிவில் பரீட்சார்த்திகளுக்கான முழுமையான விதிகள், அறிவுறுத்தல்கள் மற்றும் வழிகாட்டுதல்கள் அடங்கியுள்ளன. பரீட்சையின் போது அல்லது அதன் பின்னர் எந்தவொரு தண்டனை, தகுதி நீக்கம் அல்லது சட்ட நடவடிக்கைகளுக்கும் உள்ளாகாமல் இருக்க, அனைத்து பரீட்சார்த்திகளும் இவ்விதிகளை கவனமாக வாசித்து பின்பற்றுவது அவசியமாகும்.
Rules and Instructions for Candidates
Examination Rules | Candidate Instructions | Important Notice
Legal Requirement
All candidates are bound to act in conformity with the provisions of the Examinations Act, No. 25 of 1968.
All candidates are bound to abide by the rules given below. A candidate who violates any of these rules is liable to one or more of the following punishments at the discretion of the Commissioner of Examinations:
- Suspension from the whole or part of the examination or one subject or a part thereof.
- Disqualification from one subject or from the whole examination.
- Debarment from appearing for an examination for a period of one year or two years.
- Debarment for life.
- Suspension of the certificate for a specified period.
- Reporting the candidate’s conduct to his Superiors or handing over the candidate to the Police or making a complaint to the Police over his action.
The Commissioner reserves himself the right to take action at any time before the Examination or at any stage of it or thereafter, and his decision shall be deemed final.
In the case of examinations for recruitment to the Public Service, the decision of Commissioner of Examinations shall be subject to the Supervision of the Public Service Commission.
1. Conduct in and Around the Examination Hall
All candidates should conduct themselves in a quiet manner in and around the Examination Hall so as not to disturb or obstruct the Supervisor, his assistants or the other candidates. They should enter and leave the Examination Hall as quietly as possible.
2. Obeying the Supervisor
Candidates should obey the Supervisor. Therefore, when the Examination is in progress and before the commencement of the Examination as well as immediately after the end of the Examination they should act in accordance with the instructions of the Supervisor and his assistants.
3. Late Arrival and Leaving the Hall
Under no circumstances whatsoever will a candidate be allowed into the Examination Hall after the lapse of half an hour after the commencement of a paper.
No candidate will be permitted to leave the hall till after half an hour from the time of commencement of the paper.
Candidates who come late for Practical and Oral Examinations are liable to be refused admission.
4. Assigned Desk / Index Number
Every candidate should sit at the desk bearing his/her index number and not at any other desk. Unless with the permission of the supervisor no candidate should change his/her seat. The occupation of a seat other than the one assigned to him by a candidate is liable to be considered as an act with a dishonest intention.
5. Absolute Silence
Absolute silence should be maintained in the Examination Hall. A candidate is forbidden to speak to, communicate with or have dealings with any person within or outside the Examination Hall other than a member of the Examination Hall Staff.
If there is an urgent need for a candidate to communicate with another, prior permission must be obtained from the supervisor.
6. Index Number on Answer Script
A candidate’s answer script is identified only by the Index Number and his/her name should not be written on the answer script.
Another candidate’s index number appearing on the answer script of a candidate is considered as an attempt to commit a dishonest act. Answer scripts bearing an index number that is difficult to decipher is liable to be rejected.
7. Use Only Supplied Paper
Candidates should write only on the paper provided and should not write anything on the blotting paper, question paper, desk or any other place. Non conformity with this rule could be taken as an act with dishonest intentions.
8. Handling Answer Books and Rough Work
Any paper or answer book supplied should not be torn up, crushed, folded or erased.
Each and every sheet of paper used for rough work should be tied up with the answer script. It should be a part of the answer script. Such rough work should be neatly crossed out.
Anything written inside the Examination Hall should not be taken out. If a question has been answered twice, the unnecessary answer should be neatly crossed out.
Failure to abide by these requirements may be considered as an attempt to cheat.
9. Mathematics and Art Work
When answering questions in Mathematics the submission of correct answers with incorrect working or with no working at all is liable to be considered as a dishonest act.
In art, if the work of art is similar or very close in resemblance to that of another candidate in concept, in form or in execution it is liable to be considered as a dishonest act.
10. Removing Paper or Stationery
The removal of any paper or stationery supplied to candidates out of the Examination Hall is prohibited. All such material remains the property of the Commissioner of Examinations. Breach of this rule shall be liable to be considered an act with dishonest intention.
11. Prohibited Items in the Hall
While in the Examination Hall a candidate should not have with him or near him any book, note book, pocket note book, exercise book, sheet of paper or pieces of paper other than the stationery supplied to him.
Nor should any handbag, travelling bag or parcel other than the candidate’s boxes of colours and boxes of instruments where necessary or any file cover, card board pad, folded newspapers, brown papers should be brought into the Examination Hall. Breach of this rule is a punishable act.
12. Written Notes
A candidate is strictly forbidden to keep with him any book, note book or a sheet of paper with written notes once inside the Examination Hall.
Should the Supervisor so requires, each candidate is bound to declare everything he has with him/her. Breach of this requirement shall be considered as an attempt to commit an act of dishonesty.
13. Copying and Getting Help
Candidates are forbidden to copy or attempt to copy from the answer script of another candidate, a book, paper containing notes or any other source.
A candidate should not attempt to look at the answer script of any another candidate. A candidate should refrain from helping another Candidate and also from getting help from another candidate or a person.
Every completed answer sheet should be kept underneath the sheet on which the answer is being written. Sheets of writing paper should not be strewn all over the desk.
14. Leaving the Hall During the Paper
A candidate will under no circumstance whatsoever be allowed to leave the Examination Hall even for a brief period during the course of the paper.
However in an emergency if a candidate needs to leave the hall, he/she shall be allowed to do under the surveillance of the supervisor or his assistant. He/she shall be subject to search before leaving the hall as well as before re-entering it.
15. Impersonation and Identity Documents
Impersonation while answering a paper or before the commencement of the Examination is a punishable offence.
Tampering with identity cards, presenting false identity cards or tampering with someone’s identity are also such offences. Candidates are warned not to commit such offences.
16. Dishonest Assistance by Outsiders
Assistance given to a candidate in a dishonest manner by a person who is not a candidate, is considered a serious offence.
Instructions for Candidates’ Safety
(i) Arrival at Examination Hall
Be at the Examination Hall well in time. It is sufficient to be at the Examination Hall 10 or 15 minutes before the commencement of each paper.
If you have any doubt as to the location of the Examination Hall, make inquiries on a day prior to the date of Examination and be sure of its location.
(ii) Doubts Regarding Entry or Eligibility
In case of any doubt regarding your entry for a paper or eligibility to sit a paper you should bring it to the notice of the Supervisor and get your doubts cleared. Failure to do so may result in your candidature for the subject being cancelled.
(iii) Identity Cards
When appearing for the Examination, candidates should produce their identity cards at every paper they sit.
If a candidate fails to produce identification documents at the Examination Hall, his candidature is liable to be cancelled.
In case a candidate forgets to bring such documents into the Examination Hall, it should be brought to the notice of the Supervisor and arrangements should be made to produce them before the Examination concludes.
(iv) Standard Stationery
Standard stationery, such as writing paper, graph paper, ledger paper and precis paper, will be supplied.
If you receive any stationery that is different from the kind generally distributed or distributed to the others it should be promptly brought to the notice of the supervisor.
No paper other than those issued at the Examination Hall should be used for answering questions.
Excess paper and other material should be left on the desk, in good condition.
When log tables are supplied they should be used with care and left on the desk when you leave.
(v) Items Candidates Should Bring
Candidates should bring their own pens, pencils, bottles of ink, erasers, pieces of cloth, rulers, geometrical instruments, coloured pencils, coloured chalk, etc.
(vi) Writing Answers
When you start answering you should promptly write down your Index Number and the name of the Examination on each sheet of paper used.
Write neatly and legibly on both sides of the paper. Leave a blank line after the answer to each part of a question.
After the answer to a full question leave one or several blank lines. Do not crowd in your work.
(vii) Margins
The left-hand margin of the answer sheet is set apart for you to enter the number of the question you answer.
The right hand margin is reserved for the examiner’s use and nothing should be written there.
Number your answers correctly as incorrect numbering leads to confusion.
(viii) Read Question Paper Instructions
You should read carefully the instructions given at the head of the question paper, with regard to the compulsory questions and the manner in which the other questions should be selected.
Disregard to these instructions is often liable to affect you adversely.
(ix) Mathematics Answers
When Mathematics Questions are answered, give all details of calculations and any roughwork, in their serial order as part of the working of the problem.
Necessary sketches, diagrams and figures should be accurate and sufficiently large.
In an answer running into several pages if reference must be made to a diagram drawn in an earlier page, that diagram should be drawn repeatedly.
(x) Arranging Answer Sheets
At the end of each paper, arrange your answer sheets in the order you answered the questions.
Then using the piece of twine supplied, tie them up at the top left hand corner. Do not tie up at the top right hand corner.
(xi) Handing Over Answer Script
You should personally handover your answer script to the Supervisor or to an Invigilator. Or else remain in your seat till it is collected.
Failure to do so may result in the loss of your script and your being treated as an absentee for the paper.
On no account should your script be handed over to a peon or an attendant.
(xii) Speaking to Supervisor / Requesting Stationery
If it becomes necessary for you to speak to the Supervisor or an Invigilator, or if you need stationery, remain in your seat and raise your hand.
Commissioner General of Examinations
Candidates must carefully follow all rules and instructions given above.
