Was the 'Handan' Question in the 2026 Turkish YKS Exam Canceled? Latest Response from ÖSYM

Controversy of the 'Handan' Question in the YKS 2026 Exam

After the administration of the Turkish Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) in June 2026, social media platforms and discussion forums were filled with debates regarding a specific question in the Turkish Language and Literature section. This question, which referred to the character 'Handan' in literary works (likely from the famous novel by Halide Edib Adıvar), has sparked protests from many candidates due to its complexity and ambiguity in the options [1].

Many participants believe that this question had two correct answers or that the question stem was designed in a way that misled candidates. This has led to hashtags related to the cancellation of this question reaching the top of social media trends in Turkey.

Has ÖSYM Canceled Any Questions?

As of today, June 24, 2026, the Student Selection and Placement Center in Turkey (ÖSYM) has not issued any official statement regarding the cancellation of the 'Handan' question or any other question from the 2026 exam booklets [2]. According to standard procedure, after the publication of the preliminary answer key, the organization allows a specific timeframe for receiving scientific objections from candidates and experts.

If ÖSYM's specialized committees determine that a question has a scientific or technical flaw, that question is removed from the scoring cycle, and its points are distributed among the other questions according to the rules. However, at present, the key published on the organization's official website remains valid [1][2].

How to Object to Suspicious Questions

Candidates who have objections to the 'Handan' question or any other part of the exam must take action through the official Candidate Transactions System (AIS). Objections must be reasoned and supported by references to valid scientific sources [3]. ÖSYM usually publishes a corrected answer key shortly after the final review if an error is confirmed.

Announcement Date for Final YKS 2026 Results

Final YKS exam results are expected to be announced in mid-July. Until then, candidates should rely only on official announcements published on the osym.gov.tr portal and avoid paying attention to rumors of widespread question cancellations on unofficial sites [2]. The status of the 'Handan' question will also be clarified simultaneously with the final review of the answer sheets.