Registration for the 2026 TKA, an academic competency test for Indonesian high school students, is open through September 27.
Concerns arose that students would not graduate if they did not take the test, but education authorities stated that the TKA is neither a mandatory test nor an exam that determines graduation.
Regardless of whether students participate, both the number of testing days and the way scores are reported have changed this year.
3-line summary
1. The TKA is not a mandatory exam that determines graduation
2. 2026 scores are reported on a 200~800 scale
3. If you decide to participate, review the 4-day structure
A Selective Test That Does Not Determine Graduation
The TKA stands for Tes Kemampuan Akademik, or an academic competency assessment. The Basic and Secondary Education Policy Agency (BKPDM) under Indonesia’s Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education explained that the test is not mandatory for all students and that its results do not determine whether students graduate.
According to reports by Warta Ekonomi and HARIAN DISWAY, students who are not yet prepared may choose not to register or take the test. BKPDM’s position is that students will not be sanctioned or disadvantaged in graduation simply because they did not take the test.
On the other hand, test scores may be used as reference materials for university admissions or as part of an academic portfolio. Kompas.com reported that TKA scores may be one of the materials used to assess eligibility for the 2027 SNBP selection and may also be used in universities’ independent admissions processes. Therefore, rather than serving as a graduation gateway, this test is closer to score documentation that can be used later in the university admissions process.
Reported on a 200~800 Scale Instead of 0~100
The most noticeable change this year is how scores are reported. According to a 2026 education ministerial regulation cited by detikcom, TKA scores for high schools and vocational high schools will be reported on a 200~800 scale, rather than within the previous 0~100 range. Scores are displayed rounded to the second decimal place.
Scores are not limited to subject-by-subject results; they are also classified into achievement categories of “Good,” “Sufficient,” and “Insufficient.” Students who receive 725 points or higher in each subject may receive the “Exceptional” grade, but 725 points is the threshold for the exceptional grade, not the maximum score. The highest reportable score is 800 points.
Comparing only the score numbers with the previous system may lead to a misreading of their meaning. When reviewing 2026 scores, it is more appropriate to consider the new score range and achievement categories together rather than interpreting them as a conversion to a 100-point scale.
3 Required Subjects and 2 Elective Subjects, with Testing Over 4 Days
According to reports by Kompas.com and detikcom, examinees take 3 required subjects—Indonesian, mathematics, and English—in addition to 2 elective subjects. The test is designed to assess reading comprehension, reasoning, and information-analysis skills based on elements shared by the existing curriculum and the independent curriculum.
The test administration has also expanded from 2 days in 2025 to 4 days this year. SUARANTB.com reported that education authorities adjusted the schedule to reduce the cognitive burden that could result from taking multiple subjects within a short period. The structure consists of Indonesian and a personality questionnaire on the first day, English and a learning-environment questionnaire on the second day, mathematics on the third day, and 2 elective subjects on the fourth day.
For each required language subject, students solve 30 questions in 75 minutes, while mathematics consists of 25 questions to be completed in 75 minutes. Students who decide to participate in the TKA need to review not only the test dates but also the 4-day sequence separating required and elective subjects, along with the new scoring system.
References
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