Romanian Bacalaureat 2026: Over 122,000 Sit Second Exam After Heatwave Forces First-Ever Postponement

Today's exam

The second written test of the 2026 national Bacalaureat exam is underway on Wednesday, July 1, after an exceptional one-day postponement due to a severe heatwave. The Ministry of Education rescheduled the obligatory profile exam from Tuesday, June 30, marking the first time such a measure has been taken. Candidates from real and technological tracks take the Mathematics exam, while those from humanities and most vocational streams sit the History test.

Access to exam halls is permitted until 8:30 AM, with test papers distributed at 9:00 AM. Students have three hours to complete their work. The Ministry will publish subjects and marking schemes at 3:00 PM on its official platform.

Structure of the exams

Both Mathematics and History papers consist of three subjects, each worth 30 points, plus 10 points from the start. The History exam evaluates source analysis, argumentation, and essay writing. In 2025, candidates worked with texts by Henry Kissinger and Jean Carpentier, among others. The 2026 model maintains the same format.

Mathematics papers contain six basic exercises in part one, followed by two multi-step problems in part two. Content varies by specialisation, covering algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and probability. All testing rooms are under audio-video surveillance for the entire duration.

Candidate rules and participation

Candidates must present a valid ID and use only blue ink or paste writing tools. Mobile phones, smart watches, headphones, textbooks, notes, or any communication devices are strictly banned, with violations leading to immediate elimination. Only pencils and drawing tools are allowed for diagrams in Mathematics.

Approximately 131,000 high school graduates enrolled nationally (116,000 from the current cohort, 15,000 from previous years). About 122,319 confirmed registration and attended the first written exam in Romanian Language on June 29.

Declining graduate numbers

Data from the National Institute of Statistics shows a sharp 17% drop in high school graduates, from 149,900 in the 2023–2024 academic year to 124,400 in 2024–2025. This decline is reflected in the current Bacalaureat enrollment.

Remaining schedule

After today's exam, the session continues with the elective subject test on Thursday, July 2. For minority language graduates, the final written exam in mother tongue takes place on Friday, July 3. Results and appeals will follow according to the published calendar.