Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
After past controversies over leaks of exam questions and fake diplomas, Turkey’s Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) is again under scrutiny — this time for alleged interference in university preference lists.
With checks and balances eroded and power increasingly centralized, Turkey is facing what may be one of the biggest digital scandals in its history. The online signatures of high-level bureaucrats have been compromised, allowing a criminal network to appoint public servants via the e-State (e-Devlet) system, issue fake diplomas and licenses, forge English proficiency test results and sell properties— raising serious concerns about fraudulent graduates.