National certification exam in the native language will be held under the current alphabet

Exams will be held under the current orthography

The Knowledge and Qualifications Assessment Agency has clarified which alphabet will be used for the national certification exams in native language and literature. As reported, the exams will take place in all regions of Uzbekistan on 24–26 October 2026, and the test materials have been prepared in the Uzbek alphabet based on the current Latin orthography.

Requirements for participants' answers

According to the agency, answers to open-ended tasks, as well as written works (essays), must be written using the same current alphabet. The agency urged participants to take this information into account when preparing for and taking the exams.

Why the new alphabet is not yet in use

The agency reminded that, under the law on the introduction of the new alphabet, it comes into force six months later. Therefore, the exams administered by the agency still use the current alphabet, not the new one.

What the 21 October law changed

As Kun.uz notes, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a law on 21 October changing four letters of the Uzbek Latin-based alphabet. According to the outlet, the following changes are provided: O‘ o‘ → Ö ö, G‘ g‘ → Ğ ğ, Sh sh → Ş ş, Ch ch → Ç ç; at the same time, the combination ng is removed from the alphabet as a standalone letter, while the apostrophe is retained.

What this means for exam participants

The agency's clarification removes the uncertainty that arose after the alphabet-change law was signed just days before the exams: participants now know that tasks and answers follow the previous orthography, and the transition to the new letters Ö, Ğ, Ş, Ç will begin only in six months. In practical terms, this means preparation for the October exams should rely on the current study materials, and the mass use of the new spelling is not yet required.