Sri Lanka A-Level Exams: Pen Only—No Pencils on OMR Sheets

No. For the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination in Sri Lanka, you must use a blue or black ballpoint pen to fill the OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) answer sheets.

Official Instructions

• ✅ Blue or black pen only
• ❌ No pencils (any grade)
• ❌ No red pens
• ❌ No gel pens (may not scan reliably)

Why?

OMR scanners detect carbon-based ink. Pencil marks are too light; red ink is invisible to the scanner's wavelength. Erasures or smudges from pencils cause misreads.

Exam Day Tips

• Bring 3–4 fresh blue/black ballpoints
• Fill bubbles completely—don't tick or cross
• If you make a mistake, follow supervisor instructions (usually: cross out neatly, fill new bubble)
• Never use correction fluid/tape

Violating stationery rules risks disqualification. Follow the Admit Card instructions exactly.