The Hon. (Prof.) A.H.M.H. Abayarathna - Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government
The Minister replied to a question on limited competitive recruitment to Class III of the Government Management Service Officer Service, outlining the 2019 and 2024 examination dates, gazette references, pass marks, base dates, vacancies, and recruitment cut-offs. He stated that 1,386 officers were recruited in three phases from the 2019 examination, including appointments for Railway Department vacancies, and that 969 applicants qualified at interview had been recruited from the 2024 process. He further said the limited recruitment quota under the Service Minute has been fully utilized, and that future recruitment will proceed through the open stream in line with Cabinet approval and service regulations.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, answers are as follows:
¶ 02 (a)(i) The Limited Competitive Examination for Recruitment to Class III of the Government Management Service Officer Service – 2019 (held in 2021) was conducted by the Department of Examinations on 27.03.2021 (Gazette No. 2185 of 17.07.2020).
¶ 03 The Limited Competitive Examination for Recruitment to Class III of the same Service – 2024 was conducted on 18.08.2024 (Gazette No. 2382 of 26.04.2024).
¶ 04 (a)(ii) In accordance with Service Minute provisions, the pass mark for each subject is 40 and the overall minimum is 50% of total marks for both exams. The cut-off for recruitment was 100.
¶ 05 (a)(iii) 31.12.2019 and 17.01.2023 as base dates.
¶ 06 (a)(iv) Vacancies: - As at 31.12.2019: 2,300 total; 30% = 690 - Railways Department (as at 31.12.2019): 30% = 260 - As at 17.01.2023: 30% = 486
¶ 07 (a)(v) Recruitment cut-off for the 2019 exam: 100.
¶ 08 (a)(vi) Yes.
¶ 09 (a)(vii) Three rounds.
¶ 10 (a)(viii) Under Phase I, 660 officers; under Phase II, 277 officers to fill Railways vacancies; under Phase III, 449 officers pursuant to Cabinet decision and Public Service Commission approvals. Total recruited via this exam: 1,386.
¶ 11 (b)(i) For 2024, the pass criteria are the same: 40 per subject and 50% overall; recruitment cut-off 100.
¶ 12 (b)(ii) Data not held by this Ministry.
¶ 13 (b)(iii) Based on released results and available vacancies, 969 applicants qualified at interview have been recruited to Class III.
¶ 14 (b)(iv) Under the Service Minute (Gazette 1840/34 of 11.12.2013, Chapter 7), the quota for limited recruitment has now been fully utilized. Continuous limited recruitment would distort the Service age profile (e.g., by 2028 no officers under 30 in the unified service), breaches the Service Minute, and undermines merit-based workforce needs. Therefore, further recruitment will proceed under the open stream as per Cabinet approval now being implemented, in conformity with the Service Minute.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Tuesday, 19 August 2025 ·No. 1755860432040633 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. (Prof.) A.H.M.H. Abayarathna - Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 19 August 2025. No. 1755860432040633. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/6604