Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Education has issued Circular No. 08/2026 setting out the revised rules for the All-Island Mathematics Competition from 2026 onwards. The competition covers school students from Grades 6 to 13 and includes separate Junior, Senior I and Senior II categories.
Updated: 21 September 2026
Why this matters
The new circular replaces the earlier Circular No. 13/2024 and changes how students are grouped for the competition. It also explains team composition, competition stages and the four activities used at the All-Island level.
Students, parents and mathematics teachers can use this guide to quickly understand the new structure before checking the full Ministry circular.
Public application deadline: No general individual online application deadline is stated in the circular.
All-Island period: September–October under the circular’s annual schedule.
All-Island Mathematics Competition 2026 at a glance
| Authority | Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education |
| Organising branch | Mathematics Branch |
| Circular | 08/2026 |
| Circular date | 7 April 2026 |
| Applies from | 2026 onwards |
| Grades covered | Grades 6–13 |
| Previous circular | Circular 13/2024 |
Who can take part?
The circular divides competitors into three categories according to their school grade.
| Category | Grades | Main team | Reserves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | Grades 6, 7 and 8 | 6 students – 2 from each grade | 1 from each grade |
| Senior I | Grades 9, 10 and 11 | 6 students – 2 from each grade | 1 from each grade |
| Senior II | Grades 12 and 13 | 6 students – 3 from each grade | 1 from each grade |
Important for Senior II: the circular specifies this category for students facing the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination for the first time.
How does the All-Island competition work?
At the national level, teams are assessed through four different mathematics activities. This means preparation should go beyond ordinary written-paper practice and include teamwork, logical reasoning and problem solving.
| Event | Duration | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| Maths Trail | 1 hour | Outdoor/group mathematical activities and problem solving |
| Maths Puzzle | 1 hour | Solving mathematical puzzles as a team |
| Team Contest | 1 hour | Team-based mathematical problem solving |
| Maths Quiz | 90 minutes | A structured team mathematics quiz conducted in rounds |
The final team ranking is based on performance across the competition activities rather than only one written test.
Competition timeline
Circular 08/2026 gives the following annual timetable for the competition:
| Stage | Usual period |
|---|---|
| Zonal competitions | May–June |
| Provincial competitions | June–July |
| All-Island competition | September–October |
Note: these are the periods stated in the circular. Students selected for later stages should follow the latest date, venue and reporting instructions issued through their school and the relevant education authorities.
How can a student participate?
The circular does not provide a public online form for individual students to directly register for the All-Island competition.
Participation and team selection are handled through the school and education administration structure. A student who wants to participate should therefore first speak with the school’s mathematics teacher or the teacher responsible for mathematics competitions.
Students who are selected at earlier levels can then progress according to the competition process and instructions issued by the relevant education authorities.
What should selected students prepare?
The circular requires competitors to attend in proper school uniform. Students should also carefully follow any reporting-time, venue, travel or competition instructions given by their school or education office.
Do not rely only on social-media posters for venue or reporting information, because these details may be communicated separately for each stage of the competition.
What should students do next?
- Confirm your competition category according to your current grade.
- Ask your mathematics teacher whether your school is participating and how students are selected.
- If already selected, confirm the latest competition date, venue and reporting time directly with your school.
- Read the relevant Ministry circular before attending a higher-level competition.
- Practise mathematical reasoning, puzzles and team problem solving in addition to ordinary syllabus questions.
Students preparing for mathematics can also use BrightNook’s Tamil-medium O/L Mathematics practice paper and answer guide for additional structured practice.
සිංහල කෙටි සටහන
අධ්යාපන අමාත්යාංශයේ 08/2026 චක්රලේඛය අනුව 2026 වසරේ සිට සමස්ත ලංකා ගණිත තරගාවලිය Junior, Senior I සහ Senior II යන කාණ්ඩ තුනක් යටතේ පැවැත්වේ. 6–8 ශ්රේණි Junior, 9–11 ශ්රේණි Senior I සහ 12–13 ශ්රේණි Senior II කාණ්ඩයට අයත් වේ. ජාතික මට්ටමේ Maths Trail, Maths Puzzle, Team Contest සහ Maths Quiz යන තරග අංග ඇතුළත් වේ.
தமிழ் சுருக்கம்
கல்வி அமைச்சின் 08/2026 சுற்றறிக்கையின் கீழ் அகில இலங்கை கணிதப் போட்டித்தொடர் 2026 முதல் புதிய முறையில் நடத்தப்படுகிறது. தரம் 6–8 மாணவர்கள் கனிஷ்ட பிரிவிலும், தரம் 9–11 மாணவர்கள் சிரேஷ்ட I பிரிவிலும், தரம் 12–13 மாணவர்கள் சிரேஷ்ட II பிரிவிலும் பங்கேற்கின்றனர்.
அகில இலங்கை மட்டத்தில் Maths Trail, Maths Puzzle, Team Contest மற்றும் Maths Quiz ஆகிய நான்கு போட்டி நிகழ்வுகள் இடம்பெறுகின்றன. தனிப்பட்ட மாணவர்களுக்கான பொதுவான இணைய விண்ணப்ப முறை சுற்றறிக்கையில் குறிப்பிடப்படவில்லை. பங்கேற்க விரும்பும் மாணவர்கள் தமது பாடசாலை கணித ஆசிரியரிடம் விபரங்களை உறுதிப்படுத்த வேண்டும்.
Selection and official communication
Selection and competition arrangements are coordinated through schools and the relevant education authorities. Selected students should treat instructions received from their school, zonal or provincial education officials as the operational information for their particular stage.
If a later official notice changes a date, venue or competition arrangement, the latest official instruction should be followed.
Download Circular 08/2026
Frequently asked questions
Which grades can participate in the All-Island Mathematics Competition?
The competition covers students from Grades 6 to 13 under Junior, Senior I and Senior II categories.
Which grades are in the Junior category?
Grades 6, 7 and 8 are included in the Junior category.
Which grades are in Senior I?
Grades 9, 10 and 11 compete under Senior I.
Who is included in Senior II?
Senior II covers Grades 12 and 13. The circular specifies students sitting the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination for the first time.
What are the four national-level competition events?
They are Maths Trail, Maths Puzzle, Team Contest and Maths Quiz.
Can a student register individually online?
The circular does not state a public individual online registration process. Students should check the participation and selection procedure through their school.
When is the All-Island competition held?
The circular places the All-Island stage during September–October. Exact dates and venues should be confirmed through the latest official communication.
Does Circular 08/2026 replace an older circular?
Yes. It replaces Circular No. 13/2024 for this competition.
Official sources
- Ministry of Education – Circular 08/2026 Tamil PDF
- Ministry of Education – Circular 08/2026 Sinhala PDF
- Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka
Verification note: BrightNook checked the circular number, issue date, student categories, team structure, competition events and annual competition periods on 21 September 2026.
Disclaimer: BrightNook is an independent education-information website and is not affiliated with the Ministry of Education. Competition dates, venues, team selections and administrative instructions are controlled by the Ministry and relevant education authorities. Always follow the latest official notice provided through your school.
