Large number of GCE (O/L) students fail to obtain NICs [November 29 2008]

Although the Department frop Registration of Persons (DRP) called upon the school authorities to encourage GCE (O/L) students to obtain National Identity Cards, only 200,000 students had done so during the past six months.

DRP Commissioner A. G. Dharmadasa told the Observer Online that a large number of students had not obtained their NICs in time, and it will be a rush to the Department in future, when they apply for IDs.

According to the Examinations Department over 500,000 school and private candidates will sit the examination under the new and old syllabuses and it will commence at 2,700 centres on December 8. Examinations Chief, Anura Edirisinghe said that although school children should obtain NICs after they reach 16, they are permitted to use postal identity cards.