Record Number of PTKIN Applicants, Ministry of Religious Affairs Praises Regional Offices

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has given awards to several regional offices deemed to have made major contributions to the 2026 PTKIN student admissions process. The appreciation comes amidst a surge in registrants that has set the highest record in history. National PMB-PTKIN 2026 Committee Chairman Abdul Aziz stated that this achievement demonstrates increasing public trust in religious campuses. “This award is given as recognition of the dedication of the regional offices in successfully managing this year’s new student admissions, which recorded the highest number of applicants in history,” said Abdul Aziz on Sunday (5/4/2026). He mentioned that 143,948 students from 12,174 educational units are competing to enter PTKIN this year. The high interest is driven by positive perceptions of the quality of education and prospects for graduates. “Society now views PTKIN as a complete package, namely a strong religious character foundation, affordable costs, and world-class academic standards,” said Abdul Aziz. The committee also noted that 97.3 percent of students rate PTKIN quality equivalent to public universities, while 96.7 percent are optimistic that graduates can compete in the global job market. This year also marks a new momentum with the introduction of mental health mapping for prospective students. This policy positions PTKIN as pioneers in selection that not only assesses academics but also psychological readiness. Director General of Islamic Education Amien Suyitno said the applicant trend shows significant change. “Our Islamic education ecosystem is becoming increasingly solid. PTKIN graduates are now highly competitive, even easily entering prestigious universities in the UK and Europe,” said Amien. He added that the number of applicants from madrasahs now exceeds those from general schools, indicating strengthening of the national Islamic education base. The awards were given to the DKI Jakarta Ministry of Religious Affairs Regional Office for outstanding performance, South Kalimantan as a driver of educational units, Bengkulu as a driver of students and santri, East Java for the most finalisations, and DI Yogyakarta as the most responsive region.