The Department of Examinations has released the O/L timetable for the G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination 2026. The exam runs for nine days, from Tuesday 8 December to Thursday 17 December 2026, starting with Religion and ending with subjects such as Business & Accounting Studies, Geography and the second and foreign languages. Below is the full subject-by-subject timetable from the official notice dated 6 October 2026, with paper times and a few tips to plan the last weeks of revision.
Download the official timetable: doenets.lk → Exam Calendar – “General Certificate of Education (Ordinary Level) Examination – 2026 Time Table”, in English, Sinhala and Tamil.
G.C.E. O/L Timetable 2026 – Day by Day
| Day / Date | Morning | Afternoon |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 Tue 8 Dec 2026 | Religion – 11 Buddhism, 12 Saivaneri, 14 Catholicism, 15 Christianity, 16 Islam (Paper I, II) · 08.30–11.40 | – |
| Day 2 Wed 9 Dec 2026 | 21 Sinhala / 22 Tamil Language & Literature (Paper I, II) · 08.30–11.40 | 21 Sinhala / 22 Tamil Language & Literature (Paper III) · 13.00–15.00 |
| Day 3 Thu 10 Dec 2026 | 33 History (Paper II) · 08.30–11.40 | 33 History (Paper I) · 13.00–14.00 |
| Day 4 Fri 11 Dec 2026 | 31 English Language – Paper I 08.30–09.30, Paper II 09.45–11.45 | – |
| Day 5 Sat 12 Dec 2026 | 40 Music (Oriental), 41 Music (Western), 42 Carnatic Music, 44 Dancing (Indigenous), 45 Bharatha Dancing (Paper I, II) · 08.30–11.40 43 Art – Paper I 08.30–09.30, Paper III 09.45–11.45 | 46–49 Appreciation of English, Sinhala, Tamil and Arabic Literary Texts; 50–52 Drama & Theatre (Sinhala, Tamil, English) (Paper I, II) · 13.00–16.10 43 Art (Paper II) · 13.15–15.15 |
| Day 6 Mon 14 Dec 2026 | 32 Mathematics (Paper I) · 08.30–10.30 | 32 Mathematics (Paper II) · 13.00–16.10 |
| Day 7 Tue 15 Dec 2026 | 80 ICT, 81 Agriculture & Food Technology, 82 Aquatic Bioresources Technology, 84 Arts & Crafts, 85 Home Economics, 86 Health & Physical Education, 87 Communication & Media Studies, 88–90 Design & Construction / Mechanical / Electrical & Electronic Technology, 92–94 Electronic Writing & Shorthand (Sinhala, Tamil, English) (Paper I, II) · 08.30–11.40 | – |
| Day 8 Wed 16 Dec 2026 | 34 Science (Paper II) · 08.30–11.40 | 34 Science (Paper I) · 13.00–14.00 |
| Day 9 Thu 17 Dec 2026 | 60 Business & Accounting Studies, 61 Geography, 62 Civic Education, 63 Entrepreneurship Studies, 64 Second Language (Sinhala), 65 Second Language (Tamil), 66 Pali, 67 Sanskrit, 68 French, 69 German, 70 Hindi, 71 Japanese, 72 Arabic, 73 Korean, 74 Chinese, 75 Russian (Paper I, II) · 08.30–11.40 | – |
There is no examination on Sunday 13 December 2026. Times are as printed in the official timetable (24-hour clock).
Rule from the official timetable: calculators and correcting fluid are not allowed for any subject. Taking any electronic device, including a mobile phone, into the examination hall is a punishable offence.
Key Points to Note
- Two long days: Mathematics (14 Dec) and the aesthetic subjects (12 Dec) both have afternoon papers ending at 16.10.
- Paper order is reversed for History and Science: Paper II is in the morning and Paper I in the afternoon.
- English is a morning-only day: Paper I and Paper II are both before noon on 11 Dec.
- Last day is busy: Business & Accounting Studies, Geography, Civic Education, Entrepreneurship Studies, second languages and foreign languages are all on 17 Dec in the morning session.
BrightNook Tips for the Final Weeks
- Write your own timetable. Copy only your subjects from the table above onto one sheet and stick it near your study table.
- Use the gaps. There is a free afternoon or a full day before Maths (13 Dec is a Sunday) and before Science. Plan a timed past paper for each.
- Practise without a calculator. Do all Maths and Science past papers by hand from now on, exactly as on exam day.
- Check your admission card early. When it arrives, match your subjects and medium with this timetable and report any mistake to your school straight away.
- Parents: leave the phone at home on exam days – it is not allowed in the hall, and the rule is strictly enforced.
සිංහලෙන් කෙටියෙන්
2026 අ.පො.ස. සාමාන්ය පෙළ විභාගය 2026 දෙසැම්බර් 8 සිට 17 දක්වා පැවැත්වේ. ගණිතය දෙසැම්බර් 14 සහ විද්යාව දෙසැම්බර් 16 වේ. විභාග ශාලාවට ගණක යන්ත්ර, ජංගම දුරකථන හෝ වෙනත් ඉලෙක්ට්රොනික උපකරණ ගෙන යාම තහනම්ය. නිල කාලසටහන doenets.lk වෙතින් බාගත කරන්න.
தமிழில் சுருக்கமாக
2026 க.பொ.த சாதாரண தரப் பரீட்சை 2026 டிசம்பர் 8 முதல் 17 வரை நடைபெறும். கணிதம் டிசம்பர் 14, விஞ்ஞானம் டிசம்பர் 16. கணிப்பான், கையடக்கத் தொலைபேசி உட்பட எந்த இலத்திரனியல் சாதனமும் பரீட்சை மண்டபத்துக்குள் அனுமதிக்கப்படாது. அதிகாரபூர்வ நேர அட்டவணையை doenets.lk இல் பதிவிறக்குங்கள்.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 2026 O/L exam start and end?
It starts on Tuesday 8 December 2026 and ends on Thursday 17 December 2026, according to the Department of Examinations timetable.
When are the Mathematics and Science papers?
Mathematics is on Monday 14 December 2026 (Paper I 08.30–10.30, Paper II 13.00–16.10). Science is on Wednesday 16 December 2026 (Paper II 08.30–11.40, Paper I 13.00–14.00).
Can I use a calculator in the O/L exam?
No. The official timetable says calculators and correcting fluid are not allowed for any subject.
Where can I get the Sinhala or Tamil timetable?
On the Department of Examinations Exam Calendar page at doenets.lk, which has the 2026 O/L timetable in English, Sinhala and Tamil.
Who do I contact if something is wrong on my admission card?
School candidates should tell their principal first. You can also contact the Department of Examinations: hotline 1911, +94 11 2786200 or exams@doenets.lk.
Official Sources
- Department of Examinations – Exam Calendar (G.C.E. O/L Examination 2026 Time Table, dated 6 October 2026, checked 10 October 2026)
BrightNook.lk is an independent education website and is not affiliated with the Department of Examinations. Always follow the official timetable and your admission card. If the Department amends the timetable, we will update this page.
