January 2015

1.528 Million employees in Public Service of Sri Lanka

Total public sector employment increased by 61,000 to 1.528 million at end 2020 compared to 1.467 million in 2019. This includes employees in ministries, departments, district secretariats, divisional secretariats, provincial councils and semi-government institutions. However, The employed population decreased to 7.999 million in 2020 from 8.181 million in 2019, a fall of 182,000 (2.22 per cent), according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s (CBSL’s) 2020 Annual Report.

Largest employer in the country

The Sri Lankan Government is the largest employer in the country. Their employees are selected by competitive examinations and interviews and promotions are made by the Public Service Commission.

Ceylon Civil Service Established in 1833

The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, was the premier civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule and in the immediate post-independence period. Established in 1833, it functioned as part of the executive administration of the country to various degrees until Ceylon gained self-rule in 1948. Until it was abolished on 1 May 1963 it functioned as the permanent bureaucracy or secretariat of Crown employees that assisted the Government of Ceylon.