(කතෝලික ධර්මාචාර්ය සහතික පත්‍ර විභාගය)

Overview

The Catholic Dharmacharya Certificate Examination is a formal national accreditation for teachers and practitioners of Catholicism in Sri Lanka. It serves as the official qualification for those seeking to teach Catholic Religious Education at the Ordinary Level (O/L) and Advanced Level (A/L) within the national school system.

While the National Catechetical Centre is responsible for developing the syllabus and curriculum, the Department of Examinations of Sri Lanka oversees the formal administration, publication of materials, and grading.

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Core Curriculum & Subject Areas

The examination evaluates deep theological knowledge and pedagogical understanding across six primary pillars:

• Holy Bible: Comprehensive study of Old and New Testament scriptures.
• Divine Worship & Liturgy: Understanding the rituals, seasons, and public prayer of the Church.
• Holy Sacraments: The theology and practice of the seven sacraments.
• Church History: The chronological development and evolution of the Catholic Church.
• Catechism of the Catholic Church: Systematic study of the fundamental doctrine and beliefs.
• Social Doctrine of the Church: Catholic teachings on social justice, ethics, and human dignity.

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Administration & Frequency

• Authority: Fully supervised and administered by the Department of Examinations.
• Schedule: The exam is held periodically. The frequency is determined by the Department based on the total number of registered candidates and institutional requirements.

Syllabus:

The course syllabus was last updated in March 2025.

Download the Sinhala Syllabus by clicking this link.

Download the Tamil Syllabus by clicking this link.