About

The Assessment, Selection and Placement Centre (ÖSYM) is one of the world’s leading institutions in terms of both the number of examinations it administers and the size of the candidate population it serves, providing examination services to more than 10 million candidates annually at the national level. ÖSYM continues its mission of conducting valid, reliable, and fair assessment, selection, and placement processes in the examinations it administers.

The fundamental philosophy of the Institution is to continuously renew itself, adapt rapidly to change, and plan all its activities in line with scientific methods in order to establish a valid, reliable, and fair assessment system. Considering it a core principle of its existence to be accessible to everyone everywhere, to provide services within the province of residence to candidates with disabilities, health conditions, or special circumstances, to be innovative in examination processes, to maintain accountability, and to sustain public trust, ÖSYM continues its work in a team-oriented manner together with all its stakeholders.

History

Until the 1960’s, universities in Türkiye admitted students without a centralised examination system. As demand for higher education began to exceed institutional quotas, universities adopted various selection methods, including:

* Admitting applicants in order of application until quotas were filled

* Accepting graduates from science or literature tracks of high schools based on the nature of the education provided by the faculty

* Ranking applicants according to their high school graduation grades and admitting students accordingly

With the increase in the number of high school graduates and the extension of the right to apply to higher education to graduates of equivalent secondary schools, the above-mentioned methods became insufficient. Consequently, universities began administering their own entrance examinations tailored to their needs. Students faced numerous difficulties in taking examinations held by different universities. For example, examinations scheduled on the same date and time prevented candidates from attending more than one exam, leading to significant problems.

From the 1960’s onward, some universities organized their own entrance examinations, while others opted to conduct joint examinations. Due to the growing number of candidates, activities such as preparing multiple-choice and objective tests, receiving applications, scoring, conducting selection and placement procedures, and announcing results required the use of information technologies and methods. The Inter-University Council decided to centralize university entrance examinations and established the Interuniversity Student Selection and Placement Centre (ÜSYM) on 19 November 1974. Student selection and placement procedures were carried out by this Centre until 1981.

In 1981, pursuant to Articles 10 and 45 of Higher Education Law No 2547, ÜSYM was restructured and renamed the Student Selection and Placement Centre (ÖSYM), becoming a subordinate body of the Council of Higher Education.

The Institution was renamed the Presidency of the Assessment, Selection and Placement Centre (ÖSYM) with the Law No. 6114 on the Services of the Assessment, Selection and Placement Centre, dated 17 February 2011 and published in the Official Gazette No. 27863 dated 3 March 2011. In accordance with Law No. 6114 and Presidential Decree No. 4 on the Organization of Ministries and Affiliated, Related and Associated Institutions and Organizations, published in the Official Gazette No. 30479 dated 15 July 2018, ÖSYM is authorised to fulfil the duties and exercise the powers granted by the aforementioned Law, Decree, and other relevant legislation. ÖSYM is a public legal entity with administrative and financial autonomy, related to the Council of Higher Education, headquartered in Ankara, and operating with a special budget.

While initially established to carry out student selection for universities, ÖSYM has, in line with national needs and institutional developments, expanded its scope of responsibilities. Since 1981, the Institution has administered approximately 50-60 examinations annually. Some of them are listed below;

* Ministry of Justice Examinations (Judicial and Administrative Justice)

* Academic Personnel and Postgraduate Education Entrance Examination (ALES)

* Vertical Transfer Examination (DGS)

* Foreign Language Proficiency Examination (YDS)

* Electronic Foreign Language Examination (e-YDS)

* Ministry of the Interior District Governor Candidate Examination

* General Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety Examination for Workplace Physicians and Occupational Safety Specialists (İSG)

* Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS)

* Ministry of National Education Examination for the Selection  of Administrator of  Educational Institutions (MEB-EKYS)

* National Defence University Military Student Candidate Examination (MSÜ)

* Turkish Court of Accounts Examination for Assistant Auditor Candidate

* Level Determination Examination for Overseas Higher Education Diploma Equivalence in Medicine

* Medical Specialty Training Entrance Examination (TUS)

* Medical Subspecialty Training Entrance Examination (YDUS)

* Exam for Foreign Students for Higher Education in Türkiye (TR-YÖS)

* Higher Education Institutions Examination (YKS)

* Foreign Language Examination for Higher Education Institutions (YÖKDİL)

* Electronic Foreign Language Examination for Higher Education Institutions (e-YÖKDİL)

ÖSYM MISSION, VISION AND CORE VALUES

Mission

To be an institution that conducts valid, reliable and fair assessment, selection and placement in the examinations it administers.

Vision

To be an examination centre that carries out assessment, selection and placement processes in accordance with international standards.

Core Values

* Conducting valid, reliable and fair assessment and evaluation

* Being everywhere for everyone

* Providing services to candidates with disabilities, health conditions or other special circumstances at their respective locations and under conditions tailored to their specific needs

* Being innovative in examination processes

* Being accountable

OUR QUALITY POLICY

As an institution conducting valid, reliable, scientific, fair, transparent and innovative assessment, selection and placement in the examinations it administers, The Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Assessment, Selection and Placement Centre (ÖSYM) is committed to:

* Ensuring that candidates complete examination processes under the most appropriate and comfortable conditions and continuously increasing satisfaction in line with their expectations;

* Enhancing accessibility in accordance with the principle of “Being Everywhere for Everyone”;

* Carrying out all its activities within the authority and responsibilities granted by the relevant laws, regulations and other legislation, with reference to scientific sources and authorities;

* Continuously renewing itself in terms of examination technologies and adapting rapidly to such technologies;

* Being accountable;

* Complying with the requirements of the management system through the participation of competent and authorised personnel, and ensuring the continuous development and improvement of the management system.

These constitute our QUALITY Policy.

OUR INFORMATION SECURITY POLICY

As the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Assessment, Selection and Placement Centre (ÖSYM), we are committed to:

* Acting, at every stage of our activities, within the authority and responsibilities granted by the relevant laws, regulations and other applicable legislation;

* Ensuring the security of all information assets under the responsibility of our Presidency, including data stored in electronic environments as well as information contained in written, printed and similar media; processing and managing information as a valuable asset and fulfilling the requirements of applicable legislation;

* Meeting the institutional information and information security requirements of internal and external stakeholders; continuously monitoring the effectiveness of information security management and implementing necessary improvements;

* Identifying the value, security needs and vulnerabilities of information assets; exercising a high level of due care with regard to the sensitivity of processed information by reducing the impact of information security threats and thereby contributing to service continuity and quality;

* Conducting activities aimed at increasing information security awareness among ÖSYM personnel and embedding this awareness as part of the institutional culture;

* Implementing the ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management System standard; analysing potential vulnerabilities and threats to information assets in accordance with the principles of confidentiality, integrity and availability and the “need-to-know” principle through appropriate regulation and authorisation mechanisms; and aiming to minimise associated risks.

These constitute our INFORMATION SECURITY Policy.