The Sri Lankan Advanced Level (A-level), is a General Certificate of Education (GCE) qualification in Sri Lanka, conducted by the Department of Examinations of the Ministry of Education. Similar to the British Advanced Level. It is usually taken by students during the optional final two years of Collegiate level (Grades 12 & 13 or external (non-school) candidate, after they have completed GCE Ordinary Level exams. The majority of candidates enter the exams via their respective schools, while candidates who have finished school education can also apply as a private applicant. The qualification is also used as an entrance exam for Sri Lankan state universities. The exams are held in three mediums Sinhala, Tamil and English.
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The students should study for 2 years at collegiate level before taking the examination. The examination diversifies over 4 major fields of study,
In each stream, students should face 3 subjects . Additionally there would be a General English test and a Common General test. Although the result of the General English test is not taken into account for the University Entrance selection criteria, students are expected to obtain a pass mark for the Common General test.
The exams are conducted each year on August, in selected national schools across the country. Invigilators and supervisors are appointed by the Department of examinations and they are typically the qualified teachers of the local school system. The students are allowed to sit for the exam 3 times only(i.e. the student can attempt 3 times in 3 years). If a student fails to gain entrance to a University or a desired course in his first attempt, he has 2 more opportunities to attempt again and gain the required marks to make up for his desired course/University. The test assessments are carried out by marking panels usually consisting of qualified and experienced school teachers in service who are guided by supervises(Usually University lecturers). It takes about 4–6 months for the final results of this island wide exam to be released and students have to wait for around 10 months 1.5 years to enter a local University, depending on the University and the course/field of study.
In recent years the exam has become extremely competitive and even traumatic for most high school students in Sri Lanka, since only top 11% of students who pass this exam are selected to the state universities by the government agency tasked with university admission, the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Commerce and Accounting Stream has three main subjects. There are Accounting, Business Studies,Economics. But some students can studies Economics or any other subject. But in Commerce and Accounting Stream any student should learn three subjects including Accounting and Business Studies.
Physical Science Stream has four main subjects. There are Combined Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and ICT (Information & Communication Technology), Though combined mathematics and physics are mandatory Under the new syllabus of 2011 students can choose between Chemistry and ICT.