KPK Issues Circular Banning Gratification in SPMB, Scrutinising 'Titipan' Student Candidates

KPK issued Circular No. 7 of 2026 on Corruption Prevention and Gratification Control in the New Student Admission System (SPMB). The circular aims to prevent gratification practices during student admissions.

“Education providers must not engage in gratification or abuse of authority during the student admission process,” stated Abdul Aziz Suhendra, Head of the Prevention Network Task Force at KPK’s Gratification and Public Services Directorate, to journalists on Friday (29 May 2026).

The KPK emphasised that all forms of requests for gifts or fees in SPMB are prohibited and could constitute corruption. Through the circular, the KPK requires all technical implementation units in the education sector to refrain from requesting, giving, or receiving gratification related to their positions that conflict with their duties.

Based on KPK’s risk mapping, illegal levies persist in various forms, such as re-registration fees, ‘bench fees’, and mandatory purchases of specific attributes without clear legal basis.

The KPK also identified ‘titipan’ (placed) student practices. Additionally, data manipulation tactics including fabricated domicile, misuse of affirmative action channels, and alterations to admitted student lists were found.

“Requests for money and/or gifts by civil servants or non-civil servants, including educators and education staff, whether individually or on behalf of educational institutions to the public or other civil servants, are prohibited acts that could lead to criminal implications,” he added.

Therefore, civil servants and education providers who receive gratification related to their positions and conflicting with their duties must report it to the KPK within 30 working days of receipt. Such receipts must be reported via the Gratification Online (GOL) application at https://gol.kpk.go.id.