General Knowledge and Current Affairs
What this domain tests
General knowledge and current affairs test a working awareness of Sri Lanka's constitution and institutions, geography, economy, defence and foreign policy, plus major international organizations and verified recent events. The paper rewards durable facts and disciplined news reading, not gossip.
Core rules
- Separate permanent facts, such as the Mahaweli being Sri Lanka's longest river, from changing facts such as office-holders, appointments and annual figures.
- Learn the constitutional chain: President, Parliament, Cabinet, judiciary, independent commissions, and the role of the Constitutional Council in appointments.
- Map Sri Lanka by province, capital, main river, port and strategic location in the Indian Ocean.
- For current affairs, use a 6 to 12 month window and official sources: Parliament, the Central Bank, the Meteorology Department, the Defence Ministry and reputable wire services.
- Know the purpose of the UN, SAARC, BIMSTEC, the Commonwealth and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Worked example
Question: Which is the longest river in Sri Lanka? A Kelani Ganga B Mahaweli Ganga C Walawe Ganga D Gin Ganga Answer B. The Mahaweli rises in the central highlands and flows about 335 km to the sea near Trincomalee; it is the longest river and has the largest drainage basin. The Kelani is economically important but shorter.
Traps
Using an old fact after an election or appointment; confusing similar names; answering from a headline without checking the date; and over-learning minor statistics while missing constitutional basics.
Revision method
Build one page per cluster: constitution, geography, economy, defence, international organizations, recent verified events. Date every current-affairs note and delete expired items.