AI Shock to Turkey’s 2026 University Entrance Exam; Candidate Arrested for Cheating with ChatGPT

The 2026 Turkish university entrance exam (YKS) was marked by an unprecedented and shocking incident that once again brought security challenges in the age of artificial intelligence to the headlines. A young candidate who intended to bypass the difficult exam barrier using modern technology is now facing heavy legal consequences.

Technology Penetrates the Heart of the 2026 YKS Exam During the second stage of the Turkish national exam known as AYT (Field Qualification Test) held on June 21, 2026, a 20-year-old candidate named Mustafa Eren K. managed to bypass security layers and smuggle a mobile phone into the examination center in the Çekmeköy district of Istanbul [1]. According to published reports, the individual was able to pass the initial physical search and reach his exam seat by hiding the phone inside his gym shorts [3].

The Cheating Mechanism; Using ChatGPT to Solve Questions According to police investigations and the suspect's confession, after the exam began and during moments when proctors were less focused, he took out his phone and photographed pages 37 and 39 of the Science section question booklet [4]. He then uploaded these images to the ChatGPT artificial intelligence application to receive correct answers instantly. However, his suspicious behavior and the close monitoring of two proctors in the hall prevented him from fully executing his plan, and he hid the phone again [2].

Moment of Arrest and Suspect's Confession: "I Had a Lapse" The incident was uncovered when the exam ended and the candidate intended to leave the hall. Proctors, who were already suspicious of his movements, stopped him and requested a second physical search. During this search, his mobile phone was discovered, and police officers stationed at the school were immediately informed [1]. During initial interrogations, the suspect claimed that because he had no one to leave the phone with, he was forced to take it inside and, in a moment of "lapse and temptation," decided to seek help from artificial intelligence [3].

Legal Consequences and the Reaction of the Turkish Assessment Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) After the suspect was transferred to judicial authorities, the Istanbul Anatolian Prosecutor's Office opened a case titled "Opposition to the Law of the Assessment Center and Cheating in National Exams." The court ultimately issued an arrest warrant and sent him to prison [2]. This incident has prompted the Turkish Assessment Center (ÖSYM) and educational authorities to place a serious review of security protocols and the use of signal detection devices and X-Rays in examination centers on their agenda to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the era of staggering AI advancement [4].