France introduces new math exam for 2026 Baccalauréat

A new anticipatory mathematics test has been launched for first‑year (Première) students in France as part of the 2026 Baccalauréat. The two‑hour, calculator‑free exam combines a multiple‑choice questionnaire with a few independent exercises and is offered in three versions – specialty maths, scientific stream without specialty, and technological common core. More than 500,000 students sat the test on its debut, and the result carries a coefficient of 2 that will be included in the Parcoursup university‑admission platform.

The measure stems from the government’s “choc des savoirs” initiative, a response to the sharp decline in French pupils’ mathematics performance reported by the PISA study between 2018 and 2022. Education Minister Édouard Geffray highlighted that the exam aims to re‑value mathematics in secondary education and provide a national benchmark of student competence. While the test is currently administered in French, officials noted that from 2028 students may be allowed to sit certain specialty exams in regional languages, though not the math test at present.