Grade 1 School Admission Circular PDF 2027
The Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education in Sri Lanka has officially published Circular No. 25/2026. This comprehensive directive outlines the updated rules, regulations, and guidelines for admitting children to Grade 1 for the academic year 2027 and onwards.
This new circular completely supersedes the previous directive (25/2025) and has been implemented to ensure maximum transparency, fairness, and structural efficiency across all government and national schools island-wide.
Primary Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for Grade 1 admission for the year 2027, parents must fulfill the following primary conditions:
Age Limit: The child must complete 5 years of age as of January 31, 2027.
Mandatory Documentation: A valid, original Birth Certificate must be submitted.
Alternative Proof: If a birth certificate is unavailable, parents must present an official approximate age certificate issued by the Registrar General or an authorized District Registrar.
Over-Age Exceptions: Children aged 6 years or older will only be considered for placement after all eligible children under the age of 6 have been successfully accommodated.
Grade 1 Admission Student Quotas & Categories
To ensure a balanced selection process, the Ministry has divided school seats into six distinct categories, each with a specific allocated percentage of total available placements per school:
| Admission Category | Allocated Quota (%) |
| Close Residents (Proximity to the School) | 50% |
| Children of Past Pupils (Alumni) | 25% |
| Siblings of Currently Enrolled Students | 14% |
| Children of Staff (Ministry of Education / UGC University Staff) | 6% |
| Children of Government Officers (On Annual/Exigency Transfers) | 4% |
| Children Arriving from Overseas (Returning with Parents) | 1% |
Key Classroom Regulations & Application Rules
Classroom Capacity: The standard parallel classroom capacity is strictly limited to 40 students. This is broken down into:
35 students selected directly through the standard interview scoring process.
5 students reserved under special operational duty concessions for Armed Forces and Police personnel.
Mandatory Number of Schools: When applying, parents or legal guardians are strictly required to apply to at least six (6) schools.
School Type Variety: Out of the six required choices, a minimum of three (3) schools must be Provincial Council schools.
Submission Method: Applications must be accurately completed using the official specimen form and sent exclusively via Registered Post to the respective school principals before the Ministry's designated deadline.
Quick Overview & Application Downloads
| Detail | Information |
| Issuing Authority | Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka |
| Circular Number | 25/2026 |
| Academic Year | 2027 Admissions |
| Official Website | |
| Sinhala Application | |
| Tamil Application |
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