The Ministry of Education has opened an investigation after six packets containing the G.C.E. Advanced Level Physics Paper I — due to be sat on Friday — were found a day early at an examination coordination centre in Ambalantota.

The packets were discovered on Thursday inside a question paper container holding papers for subjects scheduled that same day, officials said. Ada Derana and Daily Mirror listed those subjects as Music, Dancing and Agriculture; Hiru News reported that Business Studies papers were also among them.

Commissioner General of Examinations Indika Kumari Liyanage said the Physics packets had not been unsealed, and Daily Mirror reported her as saying they had not been opened or compromised.

Where the papers were found

Hiru News identified the location as coordination centre No. 323, based at Ambalantota Maha Vidyalaya in the Hambantota district. According to Hiru, the six packets were found among question paper containers that had arrived covering six separate examination centres served by that coordination point.

Daily Mirror reported that the discovery was made when examination officials inspected the containers, and that authorities are now working to establish how the Physics packets came to be placed in the wrong container.

Exam under way island-wide

The G.C.E. Advanced Level examination is being held at centres across the country. Ada Derana noted that the Ambalantota incident was reported against that backdrop, with the Physics paper still scheduled for Friday.

No announcement has been made about cancelling or rescheduling the Physics paper, and no arrests or suspensions have been reported. Officials have not said whether the papers were misrouted at the point of packing, in transit, or on arrival at the centre.

Sources