News
Public service exams to be conducted by SLIDA – not Examinations Dept.
Examinations for public sector recruitment, promotions and efficiency bar – hitherto conducted by the Examinations Department — are to be handed over to the
Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA).
The proposal to shift the responsibility from the Examinations Department to SLIDA was made last year, but the Examinations Department opposed the move on the grounds that confidentiality would be affected.
A fresh Cabinet paper has been submitted to transfer the powers of the Examination Department to the SLIDA to conduct the relevant exams.
However, Education Ministry sources said the conduct of exams had been vested with the Examinations Department under a specific Act and, therefore, an amendment should be presented in Parliament if the powers were to be transferred to the SLIDA.
“The SLIDA handles largely training and has no experience in conducting public exams,” a Ministry official said. He said that in contrast, the Examinations Department has separate units to ensure confidentiality of public exams.
The Examinations Department currently conducts more than 350 open competitive recruitment, limited competitive and promotion exams.
Public Administration Ministry Secretary J.J. Ratnasiri said cabinet approval had been granted for the proposal for the SLIDA to conduct the exams and initially it hoped to conduct only small exams. “We made the proposal to avoid delays in conducting these exams and issuing the results.”