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Free Practice Questions for Sri Lanka Planning Service Exam

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Key Facts: Sri Lanka Planning Service Exam Exam

3 Papers

Intelligence Test (1 1/2 h) and Comprehension (2 h) in the Common Part, plus General Awareness (3 h)

Common Competitive Examination for All-Island Services Gazette notification

300 Marks

Total written marks across the three papers, 100 each

Common Competitive Examination for All-Island Services Gazette notification

40% Minimum

Pass mark required in every written paper

Common Competitive Examination for All-Island Services Gazette notification

100 Marks

Minimum aggregate across the two Common Part papers needed to sit the Second Part

Common Competitive Examination for All-Island Services Gazette notification

Rs. 1,300

Total fee: Rs. 1,000 Common Part plus Rs. 300 for the General Awareness paper

Common Competitive Examination for All-Island Services Gazette notification

0 Marks

Marks awarded at interview — the Planning Service holds a general interview only, to verify qualifications

Common Competitive Examination for All-Island Services Gazette notification

The Sri Lanka Planning Service Grade III open competitive examination is sat as part of the Common Competitive Examination for All-Island Services and the Executive Service Category: a common Intelligence Test (1 1/2 hours) and Comprehension paper (2 hours), then a Planning Service General Awareness paper (3 hours), each of 100 marks, with a 40% minimum in every paper and a 100-mark aggregate needed to reach the second part. Only a general interview follows and it carries no marks, so selection is decided on written marks. This independent 100-question bank covers the Public Investment Programme, project appraisal, statistical and demographic analysis, environmental clearance and macroeconomic policy.

Sample Sri Lanka Planning Service Exam Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Sri Lanka Planning Service Exam exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Under the institutional architecture of Sri Lanka's public sector, which entity is primarily mandated to formulate the National Public Investment Programme (PIP) and appraise public capital investment project proposals?
A.Department of National Planning (NPD)
B.Department of Fiscal Policy (DFP)
C.Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL)
D.National Procurement Commission (NPC)
Explanation: The Department of National Planning (NPD), operating under the Ministry of Finance, is the premier government agency responsible for formulating the rolling Public Investment Programme (PIP). It appraises all capital investment proposals submitted by line ministries and provincial authorities before they are submitted for Cabinet approval and budgetary allocation.
2What is the primary operational characteristic of the Public Investment Programme (PIP) formulated by the Government of Sri Lanka?
A.A binding ten-year statutory law that cannot be altered without constitutional amendment
B.A rolling medium-term capital investment plan spanning three to five years, updated annually
C.An uncosted annual list of recurring administrative expenses across line ministries
D.A five-year plan funded solely through foreign commercial borrowings and sovereign bonds
Explanation: The Public Investment Programme (PIP) in Sri Lanka is structured as a rolling medium-term investment framework covering typically three to five years. It is updated annually to align with changing macroeconomic conditions, fiscal space, and shifting government development priorities.
3Under the Urban Development Authority (UDA) Act No. 41 of 1978, which legal action formally designates a geographical territory as an 'Urban Development Area' subject to UDA planning control?
A.A resolution passed by the relevant Local Authority (Pradeshiya Sabha or Municipal Council)
B.An Order published by the Minister in the Gazette declaring the area
C.A certificate issued by the District Secretary of the respective administrative district
D.A proclamation issued by the Governor of the relevant Province
Explanation: Under Section 3 of the Urban Development Authority Act No. 41 of 1978, the Minister in charge of urban development may, by Order published in the Government Gazette, declare any area which is suitable for development to be an Urban Development Area. Once declared, planning, zoning, and building regulations within that area fall under the authority of the UDA.
4The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by Sri Lanka alongside all UN Member States, comprises how many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and associated targets?
A.8 Goals and 48 Targets
B.12 Goals and 100 Targets
C.17 Goals and 169 Targets
D.20 Goals and 200 Targets
Explanation: The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development comprises 17 universal Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 specific targets. In Sri Lanka, these goals are coordinated and monitored by the Sustainable Development Council under the Sustainable Development Act No. 19 of 2017.
5What is the smallest administrative unit in Sri Lanka through which grassroots socioeconomic data is gathered and localized development planning is implemented?
A.District Secretariat Division
B.Divisional Secretariat Division (DSD)
C.Grama Niladhari Division (GND)
D.Pradeshiya Sabha Ward
Explanation: The Grama Niladhari Division (GND) is the most basic grassroots administrative subdivision in Sri Lanka, supervised by a Grama Niladhari officer. There are over 14,000 GN divisions across the island serving as the primary source for primary household surveys, voter registries, welfare targeting, and micro-level project identification.
6Sri Lanka's 'Aswesuma' social safety net programme, implemented by the Welfare Benefits Board under the Welfare Benefits Act, No. 24 of 2002, primarily aims to achieve which objective?
A.Provide unconditional universal basic income to every citizen regardless of income level
B.Establish an objective, proxy-means-tested targeting mechanism to direct cash transfers to genuine poor and vulnerable groups
C.Offer guaranteed public sector employment to all unemployed rural university graduates
D.Deliver subsidized agricultural machinery solely to large commercial agribusinesses
Explanation: Aswesuma was established to replace the politicised and leak-prone Samurdhi transfer scheme with a transparent, data-driven social registry. Managed by the Welfare Benefits Board under the Welfare Benefits Act, No. 24 of 2002, it uses a multidimensional proxy means test of 22 objective indicators across six dimensions to classify households into transitional, vulnerable, poor and extremely poor categories.
7Which constitutional amendment established Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka, thereby creating a sub-national tier for provincial socioeconomic planning and development?
A.10th Amendment to the Constitution
B.13th Amendment to the Constitution
C.17th Amendment to the Constitution
D.19th Amendment to the Constitution
Explanation: The 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka, enacted in 1987 alongside the Provincial Councils Act No. 42 of 1987, created nine Provincial Councils. It introduced three legislative lists (Provincial List, Reserved List, and Concurrent List), decentralizing certain planning, agricultural, health, and local infrastructure responsibilities.
8The National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) exercises its legal mandate to guide national land use and spatial zoning under which statutory enactment?
A.Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Act No. 49 of 2000
B.State Lands Ordinance No. 8 of 1947
C.Land Settlement Ordinance No. 20 of 1931
D.Agrarian Development Act No. 46 of 2000
Explanation: The National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) functions under the Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Act No. 49 of 2000. It is charged with formulating the National Physical Planning Policy and Plan (NPPP) to regulate the integrated spatial development of land across the island.
9How does the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), published by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) in Sri Lanka, differ fundamentally from traditional income-based poverty measures?
A.It measures poverty purely by computing household per capita daily calorie consumption
B.It assesses simultaneous acute deprivations that people experience across multiple non-monetary dimensions such as health, education, and living standards
C.It is an index calculated strictly by tracking variations in stock market indices and sovereign bond yields
D.It measures the total monetary value of gold and real estate assets held by rural households
Explanation: Unlike monetary poverty measures that compare household income or consumption expenditure against a single poverty line, the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) assesses poverty through overlapping deprivations experienced at the person or household level across education, health, and standard of living indicators, using the Alkire-Foster method.
10What is the principal methodological advantage of adopting a 'rolling' Public Investment Programme (PIP) over a rigid, fixed five-year capital investment plan?
A.It permanently exempts line ministries from conducting technical feasibility studies for capital infrastructure
B.It allows the investment envelope to be recalibrated annually to reflect changes in macro-fiscal resources, project execution rates, and emerging external shocks
C.It eliminates the necessity for parliamentary review and approval during the annual national budget presentation
D.It automatically guarantees that all ongoing projects receive double their original budget allocation each year
Explanation: A rolling public investment plan operates on a continuous horizon (e.g., Year 1 to Year 3 or 5). Each year, the first year is executed as the annual capital budget, an additional year is added at the end, and the intervening years are adjusted. This flexibility allows planners to incorporate macroeconomic realities, unexpected economic shocks, inflation, and actual project implementation progress.

About the Sri Lanka Planning Service Exam Exam

The Open Competitive Examination for Recruitment to Grade III of the Sri Lanka Planning Service (SLPS) is the premier national entrance examination for recruiting professional planning officers into the public service under the Sri Lanka Planning Service Minute (Gazette Extraordinary No. 1670/32). Planning officers play a central role across the Department of National Planning, line ministries, provincial councils, and district secretariats, formulating public investment programmes, appraising capital projects, and monitoring regional and national socioeconomic development. This 100-question practice bank provides an independent study adaptation covering national planning frameworks, project appraisal techniques (NPV, IRR, EIA, Logframe), quantitative data interpretation, and economic policy.

Exam sponsor: Conducted by the Commissioner General of Examinations on the order of the Public Service Commission.. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Recruitment on the open basis runs through the Common Competitive Examination for recruitment to the posts in All-Island Services and the Executive Service Category of the public service. The First (Common) Part has two papers of 100 marks each — Intelligence Test (1 1/2 hours) and Comprehension (2 hours). Only candidates scoring at least 40% in each and at least 100 marks in aggregate proceed to the Sri Lanka Planning Service Second Part, a single General Awareness paper of 100 marks over 3 hours. Candidates with at least 40% in every paper are called in merit order, to the number of vacancies expected to be filled, for a general interview at which qualifications are verified and no marks are awarded. Selection is then strictly on written-examination merit order and the preferences stated on the application.

Time Limit

6 1/2 hours across three written papers.

Passing Score

At least 40% in every written paper, plus at least 100 aggregate marks across the two Common Part papers to reach the Second Part; selection strictly by written merit order, as the interview carries no marks.

Exam / Certification Fees

Rs. 1,000.00 for the First (Common) Part plus Rs. 300.00 for the General Awareness paper (Rs. 1,300.00 in total).

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

33%

Intelligence Test (Common Part)

Numerical reasoning, ratios and percentages, index numbers, demographic and labour-force formulae, weighted scoring, probability-weighted costs, and logical ordering puzzles.

33%

Comprehension (Common Part)

Objective comprehension, summarisation, analysis and interpretation of written and tabular material, practised here through statistical interpretation, evaluation design and policy-analysis items.

34%

General Awareness (Planning Service Second Part)

Sri Lanka's geographical, political, economic, social and cultural environment plus current national and international affairs and scientific and technological developments: the Public Investment Programme, physical planning policy, devolution and the Finance Commission, poverty measurement and welfare reform, debt restructuring and macro-fiscal policy, environmental clearance and public procurement. Project-appraisal technique is included because it is the working content of the service and underpins the case-study and planning material used elsewhere in Planning Service recruitment.

Preparing for the Sri Lanka Planning Service Exam Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: At least 40% in every written paper, plus at least 100 aggregate marks across the two Common Part papers to reach the Second Part; selection strictly by written merit order, as the interview carries no marks.
  • Assessment: Recruitment on the open basis runs through the Common Competitive Examination for recruitment to the posts in All-Island Services and the Executive Service Category of the public service. The First (Common) Part has two papers of 100 marks each — Intelligence Test (1 1/2 hours) and Comprehension (2 hours). Only candidates scoring at least 40% in each and at least 100 marks in aggregate proceed to the Sri Lanka Planning Service Second Part, a single General Awareness paper of 100 marks over 3 hours. Candidates with at least 40% in every paper are called in merit order, to the number of vacancies expected to be filled, for a general interview at which qualifications are verified and no marks are awarded. Selection is then strictly on written-examination merit order and the preferences stated on the application.
  • Time limit: 6 1/2 hours across three written papers.
  • Exam / certification fees: Rs. 1,000.00 for the First (Common) Part plus Rs. 300.00 for the General Awareness paper (Rs. 1,300.00 in total). Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Sri Lanka Planning Service Exam: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master quantitative project appraisal formulas: practice Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR), and sensitivity analysis calculations until you can solve them rapidly without a calculator.
2Study key statutory planning frameworks: memorize the mandates of the Department of National Planning (NPD), Central Environmental Authority (CEA under NEA Act No. 47 of 1980), Urban Development Authority (UDA Act No. 41 of 1978), and the Sustainable Development Council (Act No. 19 of 2017).
3Familiarize yourself with official Sri Lankan data publications: review recent annual reports from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), national accounts and poverty bulletins from the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS), and Public Investment Programme (PIP) priorities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the examination structure for recruitment to Grade III of the Sri Lanka Planning Service (SLPS)?

On the open basis the Sri Lanka Planning Service is recruited through the Common Competitive Examination for the posts in All-Island Services and the Executive Service Category. The First (Common) Part is an Intelligence Test (100 marks, 1 1/2 hours, 50 items) and a Comprehension paper (100 marks, 2 hours, 50 items); candidates scoring at least 40% in each and 100 marks in aggregate go on to the Planning Service Second Part, a single General Awareness paper (100 marks, 3 hours) on Sri Lanka's geographical, political, economic, social and cultural environment, current national and international affairs, and scientific and technological developments.

Who is eligible to apply for the SLPS Grade III Open Competitive Examination?

Applicants must be citizens of Sri Lanka of excellent character who are physically and mentally fit to serve anywhere in the country, and at least 22 years old when the notice calling applications is gazetted; the upper age limit is set per service in that notification. The academic requirement is a degree with first or second class, or a degree plus a postgraduate diploma of at least one year from a UGC-recognised university or a training institute established by an Act of Parliament. No particular degree subject is prescribed.

How are candidates selected for appointment to the Planning Service after the written examination?

For the Sri Lanka Planning Service only a general interview is held. Candidates who obtain at least 40% in every written paper are called in merit order, to the number of vacancies expected to be filled, for that interview, at which the board appointed by the Public Service Commission verifies qualifications. No marks are awarded at it, so appointment follows the merit order of written-examination marks together with the service preferences stated on the application.

Are these practice questions official past examination papers from the Department of Examinations?

No. These are independent Sri Lanka Planning Service practice questions written by OpenExamPrep to cover the subject areas the examination tests, drawing on the Common Competitive Examination notification, the Sri Lanka Planning Service Minute (Gazette Extraordinary No. 1670/32), national planning policy documents and Central Bank publications. They are not official past papers and are not endorsed by the Department of Examinations or the Public Service Commission. The official examination is sat in Sinhala, Tamil or English, and its General Awareness paper mixes structured essay with objective questions, so this English-language multiple-choice bank is a study adaptation of the examined subject matter rather than a simulation of the paper's format; written practice in your chosen medium is still needed.