The SLAS entrance exam: an age-limit of near madness
This note concerns the government gazette notification (available at http://www.dailynews.lk/2001/pix/GazetteS09-10-16.pdf) on the open competitive exam for recruitment to Grade III of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS). The SLAS is unarguably the most crucial of services that falls under the competency of the Ministry of Public Administration. The gazette notification stipulates that the applicants need to be graduates of universities recognized by the University Grants Commission of Sri Lanka. All the entry requirements mentioned in the gazette appear to commendably set, except one, which I see as extremely unjust for a large number of fully qualified candidates: the age limit of prospective candidates.
The gazette notification states that prospective applicants should be aged below 28 by 16 November 2009. For anyone acquainted with Sri Lanka’s system of higher education, it may not be difficult to understand that this age limit (for a major competitive exam of this nature) is thoroughly unjust, and simply unacceptable. The majority of Sri Lankan youth complete their Advanced Level examination towards the age of 18-19+. Unfortunately, those entering Sri Lankan universities are forced to face a horribly long waiting period until they are admitted to undergraduate studies. The situation may be better for undergrads in medicine and engineering, but graduates in these disciplines are less likely to sit for the SLAS examination. In general, the majority of SLAS candidates are graduates in the humanities and social sciences, while there can certainly be graduates in the pure sciences with multidisciplinary professional interests. By the time the majority of Sri Lankan university undergraduates complete their degrees, they are already well into their mid twenties.
I presume those managing a crucial service like SLAS believe that they require candidates with minimum ‘concrete’ professional experience, at least spanning a couple of years. In a country like Sri Lanka, it is highly advisable to recruit candidates with IT skills, while it goes without saying that management-related skills are extremely crucial. How can one expect a young professional, who enters university after the horrible waiting period, (and therefore) completes the degree by his/her mid/late twenties, to be armed with such skills, AND correspond to the age limit imposed by the SLAS examination? Of course, in a country not short of smart young people, there can indeed be many high achieving youth who correspond to this age limit. But what about the others? Those who are fully capable of passing the competitive exam, and given their academic and professional skills, totally deserve a position within the SLAS? This concerns young professionals who have just turned 28, or who are 29-30.
If we had a system of secondary education like that of the Republic of Ireland, where young people sit for their Leaving Certificate at the age of 17 (which is also the case in France with the baccalauréat), and if there was no waiting period to enter university after gaining the secondary qualification, the age limit of 28 to sit for the SLAS exam would have been absolutely fine. Sadly, this is not the case, and the reality presents a totally opposed situation. I wonder if the organisers of such an important examination live in a different country. The age limit of 28 years represents an act of total injustice to a large number of suitably qualified young Sri Lankans, and prevents the Sri Lankan government from benefitting from the services of a fair portion of the best young talent available in the country. Given these circumstances, changing the age limit to the age of 30 at the time of application would be highly beneficial to many qualified applicants as well as to the SLAS.
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Actually any age limit is a problem. There are probably many over 28 years old with a lot of good experience out there.
no i think it is the best age limit! i too studies from a local university ut still i am 25 years of age and i successfully completed a 4 year special degree last year! what is more needed?
it a good age limit. no arguments required! i think the civil service needs young energitic people not the middle aged or old people!
i have seen so many graduates under 28 years of age! Normally according to current education system one can finish his 3ry education at the age of 26. So why thses people think age 28 is a unfair age limit! I really apprecizate this chance because it has given oppertunity for the young
Perhaps you may want to consider the issues with the University system instead. Why can’t universities have conditional offers so that as soon as one gets A level results universities start?
well, guess what,,, law college is planning to make the entrance exam also have a age limit , 30 years. wouldnt that be a fundemental right violation? also since lawyers are considered “professionals” is not the asspect a professional exam have a requirement to not to have any age limits. CIMA, CIM or other exams are considered professional exams as any one in any age can enter to do it as its a professional exam and earn money?
Hmm…I’m a bit puzzled as to the poor standard of English of respondents supporting the Government’s age limit. Is this a stunt or inadvertent support for the article’s argument?
Most udergraduates in faculties other than arts faculty can successfully complete the degree course by 25 years of age as those faculties funtions smoothly without frequent shut downs.
Therefore age limit of 28 is acceptable.
its really not a good age limit because if we consider the srilanks education system its take several years time period to finish our degree programme.as a example just think about Science students.on the other hand, some universities are closed up for some times because of political problems,if the reason is that how we finish our degree programme on time?.if the age limit is 28 some of the grduates are only benifited but most of them are effected.what ever the decision taken by the government it should be resonable & benifited to the majority. if the government always restriceted by age for all government service it will effected back to the government, because unemployement rate of SL will increase.
Well said Aiyo…. ! I was wondering the same thing.
Doesn’t this examination need some sort of an industry experience? Appointing fresh graduates without any experience (Experience as in at least it should be 3-5 yrs) is not really an option. So suppose ppl complete their first degree by 25 and may be another 3 more years in the industry would give a age limit as 28. Well, that’s if the university programmes go according to the plan. But, the truth is it’s not so. So for a competent person would be around 30 yrs to obtain a reasonable experience and that’s only fair.
When will be this exam take place in 2010?
well……….. I think the age limit of 28 is very fair with the current circumstances of our higher education programs. I am a science graduate entered the university at the age of 19 +and I was only 23+ when I passed out after the successful completion of a four year special degree. Now I am only 24.Though one qualifies for the university entrance at the third attempt, he/she will be only 22 in maximum and still can passout at 26 even if follow a four year degree.So I donot know why people say it is unfair to have an age limit of 28……
it a good age limit. no arguments required! i think the civil service needs young energitic people not the middle aged or old people! i have finish next year my MA degree,