Grama Niladhari

Overview

Grama Niladhari (GN) is the entry-level government administrative officer position in Sri Lanka, responsible for a specific Grama Niladhari division — the smallest administrative unit in the country — handling local administration, certification, and liaison between residents and government services. Recruitment is through a competitive written examination run by the Department of Examinations on behalf of the Ministry of Public Administration.

Who can apply

Applicants must be Sri Lankan citizens, generally meeting a minimum educational qualification (commonly a pass at GCE Advanced Level) and an age range set out in the specific recruitment notice, along with residency requirements tied to the district or division being recruited for.

Exam pattern

The process generally has a written examination covering general knowledge, Sri Lankan administration and law relevant to the Grama Niladhari role, and language ability, followed by an interview for candidates who pass the written stage.

How to apply

Applications are submitted following the procedure set out in the official recruitment notice (gazette notification) published by the Ministry of Public Administration and the Department of Examinations, within the application window stated in that notice.

After the exam

Candidates who pass the written exam and interview are appointed as Grama Niladhari officers and assigned to a specific division, generally within the district they applied for.

Preparation tips

Because the written exam covers general administrative knowledge and Sri Lankan law/governance relevant to the role rather than one narrow academic subject, studying the Ministry of Public Administration's circulars and the specific district's past exam papers is the standard preparation approach.