Bitter Story of a Turkish University Entrance Exam Candidate: "My efforts vanished in seconds"

Recurring Tragedy Behind Closed Doors of the 2026 Entrance Exam The Turkish national university entrance exam, known as YKS, was held on June 20 and 21, 2026, with millions of candidates. This academic marathon, which determines the educational future of Turkish youth, is always accompanied by strict rules. One of the most controversial is the "15-minute rule," stating that exam center doors close exactly 15 minutes before the start (10:00 AM), and no candidate is allowed entry under any circumstances after this time [2].

Details of the Incident from "Nefes" Newspaper According to a report by Nefes Gazetesi, a heartbreaking scene occurred during the second stage of the exam, the AYT (Field Qualification Test), in the city of Osmaniye. A female student running with all her might toward Osmaniye Anatolian High School reached the entrance just seconds after the doors closed. Despite the pleas of parents and witnesses shouting "Let her in," security guards refused to open the doors following the instructions of the Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) [1].

The candidate, weeping with distress, told reporters in a brief interview: "I worked day and night for a whole year, but all my efforts were wasted and thrown away because of a few seconds' delay." This sentence quickly went viral on Turkish social media, sparking heated debates about educational justice and rule flexibility [1][3].

Reaction of the Exam Center and Public Opinion Following the release of videos of this incident and similar cases in other cities like Bursa, ÖSYM responded. Officials emphasized that the 15-minute rule was established to maintain exam security, prevent abuse, and ensure fairness for all candidates. According to the organization, each candidate has a personalized answer sheet with their photo, and late entry could disrupt the identity verification process and the peace of other participants [4].

However, some educational experts and social media users believe that destroying a young person's future over a few seconds' delay is inconsistent with the spirit of justice. They suggested separate rooms for such individuals to start their exam late; a proposal rejected by officials so far [4].

The 2026 YKS Marathon Concludes This year, over 2.5 million candidates competed in three stages: TYT, AYT, and YDT. While most students completed their exams successfully, the heavy shadow of those left behind closed doors remains one of the major challenges of the Turkish education system. The results of this decisive exam are scheduled to be officially announced on July 22, 2026 [2][3].