Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Consortium for Independent Selection into\nState Universities in the Western Region (SMM PTN-Barat) has officially\nopened registrations for 2026, involving 27 state universities (PTN) and\nproviding 20,035 seats for 1,013 study programmes.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the SMM PTN-Barat 2026 Committee, Ibrahim, stated that\npublic interest in the independent pathway continues to rise. Since its\nlaunch last week, the number of registrants has exceeded 2,000 people,\neven though the results of the National Selection Based on Tests (SNBT)\nhave not yet been announced.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year we received nearly 30,000 registrants; this year we are\ntargeting 32,000 applicants,\u201d he said during a press conference in\nJakarta on Monday.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim, who is also the Rector of the University of Bangka Belitung,\nexplained that participants can select study programmes across regions\nwithout being limited by the examination location. The selection covers\nareas from Sumatra, West Kalimantan, to western Java.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are organising this SMM jointly to ensure a higher level of\ntransparency and accountability among participants,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The committee also ensures that all selection mechanisms, from\ncapacity, question weighting, to the objection period, are announced\nopenly through the official SMM PTN-Barat website.<\/p>\n
In addition, the selection process will be completed more quickly in\naccordance with government directives, with the entire admission series\nscheduled to end on 30 June 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology\n(Kemdiktisaintek) has stipulated that PTN admissions must not exceed\nJuly, so our series is advanced by a full month,\u201d said Ibrahim.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim explained that anticipated cheating methods include the use\nof fake identities, hidden cameras in writing instruments, and mini\ncommunication devices in participants\u2019 ears.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe screening process when they enter the examination room is one of\nthe most crucial aspects in our view,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s selection will fully utilise a computer-based test (CBT)\nsystem and can be taken by participants from any location online. The\ncommittee is also opening wider opportunities for older graduates, with\nseveral universities in the consortium accepting participants from the\nlast five to ten years.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur spirit is to provide the widest possible access to education.\nThere are some people who might not have considered university due to\neconomic circumstances, and only want to pursue it in the fourth or\nfifth year,\u201d said Ibrahim.<\/p>\n
Some campuses offering such opportunities include the University of\nJambi, Teuku Umar University, Samudra University, UPN Veteran Jakarta,\nas well as several arts institutions such as the Indonesian Institute of\nArts and Culture (ISBI) Aceh and the Indonesian Institute of the Arts\n(ISI) Padang Panjang.<\/p>\n
The registration fee for SMM PTN-Barat this year is set at Rp375,000\nand has not increased from the previous year.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim noted that the three campuses with the largest capacities in\nthe consortium this year are the University of Riau, Syiah Kuala\nUniversity, and the University of Jambi.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/smm-ptn-west-2026-opens-providing-20-000-quotas-in-1-013-programmes-1778507568", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }