South Africa begins 2026 National Senior Certificate examinations

The 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations officially commenced in South Africa on Tuesday, 13 October. A record 962,832 candidates are registered for the exams, consisting of 815,051 full-time and 147,781 part-time students. The examination period is scheduled to run until 26 November.

Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube and Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule have conducted oversight visits to examination centres in Gauteng and Mpumalanga to monitor the process and ensure administrative readiness. The Department of Basic Education reported a smooth start to the sessions, which included Computer Applications Technology (CAT) Paper 1 Practical and various language papers across all nine provinces.

To safeguard the integrity of the exams, the department has implemented a zero-tolerance policy regarding cheating. New measures include candidate and parent pledge agreements, as well as a 24-hour hotline for reporting suspected irregularities. Officials emphasized that cellphones are strictly prohibited in examination venues.