Sri Lanka ICT Service Exam study plan

Define and contrast the core ICT concepts: data versus information, the components of an information system (people, process, data, hardware, software, networks), and the difference between ICT and IT, writing your own one-paragraph definitions for each

Convert fluently between binary, octal, decimal and hexadecimal, and perform two's-complement representation of negative integers, working at least 20 conversion and representation problems without a calculator

Explain how a CPU executes an instruction cycle (fetch, decode, execute, store) and describe the roles of ALU, control unit, registers and cache, sketching the cycle from memory

Classify input, output, storage and processing devices by function and identify which are volatile versus non-volatile, building a classification table of at least 25 devices

Map the OSI seven-layer model and TCP/IP four-layer model side by side, stating the protocol and addressing scheme used at each layer

Compare operating system types (batch, multiprogramming, time-sharing, real-time, distributed, mobile) and explain process scheduling, memory management including paging and virtual memory, and file-system organisation with worked examples

Configure and interpret basic IPv4 addressing: identify class, default mask, network and broadcast address, and usable host range for at least 15 given addresses and prefixes

Describe the function of common network devices (hub, switch, router, firewall, access point, modem) and select the correct device for a described small-office scenario

Write SQL statements using SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY, GROUP BY, HAVING, joins and aggregate functions against a small sample schema, and explain each clause's execution order

Model a simple library or payroll scenario as an entity-relationship diagram and normalise it to third normal form, documenting each normalisation step

Explain ACID properties, transaction control, concurrency problems (dirty read, lost update, phantom read) and locking, giving a concrete example of each anomaly and how a DBMS prevents it

Distinguish DBMS architectures (centralised, client-server, distributed, cloud-hosted) and compare relational, NoSQL document, key-value and graph models by use case

Compare software development life cycle models (waterfall, iterative, spiral, agile/Scrum, DevOps) and justify a model choice for a stated government-system scenario

Translate a short requirements narrative into functional and non-functional requirements, and draw use-case and data-flow diagrams at context and level-1 detail

Explain black-box versus white-box testing, unit, integration, system and acceptance testing, and write test cases with inputs, expected outputs and pass criteria

Apply the CIA triad, plus authentication, authorisation, non-repudiation and availability, to classify at least 10 named threats (phishing, ransomware, SQL injection, man-in-the-middle, insider misuse) by the property each attacks

Distinguish symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hashing and digital signatures, and state correctly which tool provides confidentiality, integrity or authentication in a given scenario

Explain TLS in practice: what a certificate proves, how the handshake establishes a session key, and what a browser warning means, without over-claiming technical detail you are unsure of

Describe common controls (firewalls, IDS/IPS, MFA, patching, least privilege, backup and restore, logging) and match each to the threat it mitigates

Recall the core obligations of Sri Lanka's Personal Data Protection Act concepts (lawful basis, consent, data-subject rights, breach notification) at a level you can state accurately, flagging anything you cannot verify for review

Map the Sri Lankan digital-government landscape you can verify: the roles of ICTA, the Ministry responsible for digital infrastructure, and flagship services such as the government web portal, e-services and the national digital ID initiative, marking any uncertain detail for verification

Explain the purpose and components of a government e-service lifecycle: citizen identification, authentication, service design, interoperability, payment and grievance handling

Identify the security and privacy risks specific to e-government services (identity theft, data sharing between agencies, insider access) and propose proportionate controls

Describe interoperability and data-exchange standards at a conceptual level, including why common identifiers and API-based integration matter for joined-up services

Evaluate one real Sri Lankan e-service from a citizen's perspective, listing three usability or accessibility improvements with justification

Apply the project-management knowledge areas (scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk, procurement, stakeholder, communication) to a small public-sector ICT project, producing a work breakdown structure and a simple Gantt-style schedule

Calculate earned value metrics (PV, EV, AC, CV, SV, CPI, SPI) from given figures and interpret whether a project is ahead or behind schedule and over or under budget

Build a risk register with likelihood, impact, score, owner and response strategy for at least eight risks in a government ICT project

Outline the public-procurement sequence for an ICT acquisition: needs assessment, specification, bidding method, evaluation criteria, contract award and contract management, and explain probity and conflict-of-interest safeguards

Summarise the purpose of key Sri Lankan ICT legal and institutional instruments you can state confidently (for example the Computer Crimes Act and the Personal Data Protection Act) and the professional-ethics duties of a public ICT officer

Explain cloud service and deployment models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS; public, private, hybrid) and match given workloads to the most suitable model with reasons

Describe emerging technologies at working level, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, Internet of Things, blockchain, big data analytics, RPA and 5G, stating one realistic government use case and one limitation for each

Outline the main stages of a digital-transformation programme (vision, process re-engineering, capability building, change management, measurement) and why process redesign must precede automation

Review Sri Lanka's public-administration fundamentals: the structure of the civil service, the role of ministries, departments and provincial councils, and the constitutional and administrative principles an ICT officer works within

Summarise current ICT and digital-government developments in Sri Lanka from at least three credible recent sources, distinguishing confirmed facts from speculation

Consolidate all ten domains into a single revision map, allocating study time in proportion to the stated weightings and listing your three weakest areas with a fix for each

Complete two full-length timed mock papers under exam conditions and record your score per domain to identify remaining gaps

Re-drill every item you answered incorrectly, writing the correct reasoning in your own words rather than memorising the answer letter

Rehearse concise written answers to scenario questions on security incidents, procurement, project slippage and data-protection breaches, each in under 150 words

Verify and clean up all flagged uncertain facts from earlier weeks so that nothing in your notes is unverified