Widespread Protest Against Turkey's Exam Results; "Changing the Option is Not Enough, the Question Must Be Canceled"

Controversy in Turkey's YKS 2026 National Exam

Today, July 3, 2026, reports published in the Milliyet newspaper indicate a new crisis in the Turkish educational system. After the Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS), the Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) announced that question 20 of the Turkish Literature subject in the AYT section was canceled, and the answer key for question 23 of the Mathematics subject was changed from option 'C' to 'A' [1]. This decision, aimed at correcting question design errors, has not only failed to restore calm to the educational community but has also sparked anger among candidates who believe this action is unfair.

Why is Changing the Option for "Math 23" Not Enough?

Many candidates and educational experts believe that question 23 of the Mathematics subject has a structural flaw, and merely changing the correct option in the final key cannot compensate for the injustice served. According to field reports, candidates who spent significant time solving this question using the flawed design logic are now facing a severe drop in their percentiles due to the sudden key change [2]. The slogan "Changing the option is not enough, the question must be canceled" has become a major trend on social media in Turkey.

Parent Reactions and Potential Legal Actions

Parents of students stated in media interviews that this late change has violated their children's rights. Many families have registered their complaints through the Presidential Communications Center (CİMER), and a group of education lawyers is preparing petitions to be submitted to the Council of State for the full cancellation of this question [1]. They argue that when a question is ambiguous, according to international testing standards, it should be removed from the score calculation cycle rather than having its answer changed.

Educational and Psychological Consequences for Candidates

This situation occurs as the final results of the 2026 exam are set to be announced soon, and any change in the status of question cancellations or corrections could shift the rankings of thousands of people. Experts warn that ÖSYM's lack of transparency in responding to these protests damages public trust in educational justice [3]. Currently, all eyes are on potential supplementary statements from educational authorities to see if public pressure will lead to the full cancellation of Math question 23.