Sri Lanka Teachers' Service Graduate Open Exam exam-day guide
Sri Lanka Teachers' Service Graduate Open Exam · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission card / hall ticket
Print or collect the admission card issued for this exam and keep it in the same folder as your ID. If you have not received it, contact the exam organising office immediately. Confirm the exact name of the document and the issuing body with the provider, since wording varies between notices.
National Identity Card or other accepted photo ID
Bring the original NIC (or the specific alternative document named in your admission notice). A photocopy is usually not accepted. Confirm which IDs are valid for this exam with the provider.
Black or blue ballpoint pens (two or more)
Bring spare pens of the same colour. Use only the pen colour stated on the answer sheet instructions; do not use pencil for final answers unless instructed.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Needed for shading multiple-choice answer circles or rough work. Keep them in a clear pouch if transparent containers are required.
Printed exam timetable and venue details
Note your index number, subject paper, hall and seat if given. Verify the venue address and arrival time the day before, ideally by travelling the route once.
Clear water bottle and light snack
Bring water in a transparent bottle. Whether snacks are allowed inside the hall is set by the supervisor; confirm with the provider and keep any food outside the hall if asked.
Simple analogue or non-programmable watch
Many halls have no visible clock. Confirm whether wrist watches are permitted; smart watches and phones are almost always prohibited.
No mobile phone, smart watch or electronic device in the hall
Leave devices at home or with a companion. If a phone must be carried, confirm the official procedure for handing it in; do not assume there is a safe storage place.
Know your index number by heart
You will write it on answer sheets repeatedly. Check it against the admission card before filling each sheet.
Rest, sleep and a normal breakfast
Avoid last-minute cramming the night before. Eat a familiar meal so you do not risk stomach upset during a long paper.
Read the official instructions on the answer sheet
Rules on writing index numbers, shading, rough work and sheet handling are printed on the paper itself. Follow them exactly.
Plan the day
Confirm the venue, date, reporting time and paper schedule from your admission card and the official notice. Plan transport and, if the venue is far, arrange accommodation. Assemble ID, pens, pencil and admission card in one bag. Stop starting new topics; review summaries, formulas and past mistakes instead.
Do one timed practice paper under exam conditions to check your pacing per section. Review the answer key and note the two or three error patterns you will watch for on the day. Confirm whether any calculator or instrument is allowed for your subject with the provider.
Travel to the venue area if it is distant. Lay out clothes, ID, admission card and stationery by the door. Check the reporting time once more. Sleep at your normal hour; do not stay up revising.
Eat breakfast, arrive at the venue well before the reporting time to allow for security checks and seat finding. Switch off and stow your phone before entering the hall. Use the washroom before the paper starts.
Fill in your index number and other details exactly as instructed. Read the front-page instructions and check the number of questions and marks. Scan the whole paper to plan time per section.
Answer the questions you are most confident about first if the paper allows it, then return to harder ones. Keep an eye on the clock and leave time to transfer answers to the answer sheet. Do not leave any required field blank if there is no negative marking; confirm the marking rule with the provider.
Check that every answer is transferred, index number is correct on every sheet, and no stray marks remain. Stop writing immediately when instructed.
Rules to check
Carry your admission card and accepted photo ID at all times in the hall; candidates without them may be refused entry. Confirm the exact accepted documents with the provider.
Mobile phones, smart watches, Bluetooth devices and unauthorised notes must not be brought into the hall. Possession can lead to disqualification regardless of use.
Follow the supervisor's instructions on seating, starting and stopping writing. Writing after the stop signal is a common cause of penalty.
Do not communicate with other candidates, exchange materials or look at another's paper. Raise your hand and wait for the supervisor if you need assistance.
Breaks and washroom visits during the paper are at the supervisor's discretion; confirm the procedure with the provider before the exam.
Use only the pen colour and answer format specified on the answer sheet. Answers written in the wrong place or format may not be marked.
Scoring, negative marking and minimum pass marks are set by the examining body; read the official notice for your paper rather than relying on rumour.
If you believe there is an error in a question, note it and continue; do not argue with invigilators during the paper. Report it through the official channel afterwards.