Grade 5 Scholarship Exam 2025: Performance Report

The overall performance in the Grade 5 Scholarship Exam 2025 saw a notable decline compared to the previous year, according to a recent report published by the Department of Examinations. The total number of candidates who sat for the examination in 2025 was 303,671, a decrease from the 319,284 candidates in 2024.

Key Performance Indicators for 2025

Several key metrics indicate a downturn in national performance for the 2025 examination:

Candidates obtaining 70 marks or above (35 or above for each paper) : The percentage dropped significantly to 70.43% (213,872 candidates) in 2025, compared to 77.96% in 2024.
Candidates obtaining 100 marks or above (50 or above for each paper) : This group also saw a substantial decline, with only 32.41% (98,417 candidates) achieving this level in 2025, down from 37.70% in 2024.
Candidates qualified to receive bursaries and apply for schools (Equal to or above the Cut-Off) : Despite the drop in overall marks, the percentage of students who met the cut-off mark actually increased to 17.11% (51,969 candidates) in 2025 from 16.05% in 2024. This suggests a lowering of the cut-off score to qualify.
- The Tamil Medium Cut-Off Mark dropped from 143 in 2024 to 140 in 2025.
- The Sinhala Medium Cut-Off Mark dropped from 141 in 2024 to 134 in 2025.
Mean of Marks: The average mark for all candidates fell to 102.44 in 2025, the lowest figure recorded between 2020 and 2025.

Provincial and District Performance in 2025

Highest Qualification Rates

The Sabaragamuwa Province recorded the highest percentage of candidates meeting or exceeding the cut-off mark at 21.29% (6,091 candidates), continuing to hold the top spot from 2024.

At the district level, Hambanthota had the highest percentage of candidates reaching the cut-off with 24.86% (2,703 candidates). Rathnapura followed with 22.60% (3,796 candidates).

Highest 70 Marks or Above

In terms of the percentage of candidates who obtained 70 marks or above, the top districts were:

Kurunegala: 77.46%
Hambanthota: 76.65%
Kegalle: 75.67%

Performance by Income Level and Gender

Analysis of Paper I and Paper II marks by income level and gender reveals distinct trends in the 2025 examination:

Income Level Comparison

For both Paper I and Paper II, students from the Higher Income Group outperformed the Lower Income Group at the higher mark ranges (e.g., 61-70 marks and above). Conversely, the Lower Income Group had a higher concentration of candidates in the middle mark ranges (e.g., 31-40 to 51-60) for Paper I, and a higher percentage in lower mark ranges for Paper II (e.g., 11-20 to 61-70).

Gender Comparison

Female candidates generally performed better in the higher mark classes for Paper II (71-80 and 81-90 marks). However, male candidates had a marginally higher percentage in the peak mark range for Paper I (31-40 marks).

Special Needs Candidates

A total of 258 candidates qualified for bursaries under the Special Needs Category across the island in the 2025 examination. The Western Province had the highest number of qualified candidates with 58. Among the districts, Gampaha recorded the highest number of qualified Special Needs candidates at 26, followed closely by Colombo, Ampara, Jaffna, and Kurunegala, all with 20.