Politics · Italy · 21 hrs ago
Court ruling may reshape Italy’s medical specialty exam rankings
Italy’s Council of State ruled for 27 candidates in a dispute over the 2026 medical specialty school entrance exam.
The candidates challenged the marking of question 34, which penalized those who answered “no prophylaxis.”
The court said that answer could not be marked wrong, because a multiple-choice question should have one clearly correct answer.
The university ministry must give the 27 candidates full marks for the question and remove the penalty, moving them up the rankings.
The exam was held nationwide in July, and more than 17,000 candidates are affected by the national ranking; many have already started their courses.
The score changes could alter admission rankings for specialty schools and locations, and other candidates who gave the same answer may seek similar rulings.
The case now returns to Lazio’s administrative court, which must set an urgent hearing to decide the merits.
Italy’s Council of State ordered the Ministry of University and Research to give 27 medical specialty exam candidates full credit for a disputed answer.
The candidates had challenged the marking of multiple-choice question 34, where “no prophylaxis” had been marked wrong.
The court said a multiple-choice question must have one unambiguously correct answer and found the candidates’ response could not be considered wrong.
The ruling could affect admission scores for more than 17,000 candidates who took the nationwide exam.
The case returns to the Lazio Regional Administrative Court, which has been asked to set a hearing on the merits urgently.
- Who
- Italy’s Council of State ruled on an appeal by 27 medical specialty exam candidates.
- What
- The court ordered the ministry to award the candidates full credit for their answer to question 34 and remove the penalty.
- When
- The reports were published on November 8, 2026. The candidates took the exam in July and courses began in early November.
- Where
- Italy; the exam was held nationwide and the case returns to the Lazio Regional Administrative Court.
- Why
- The court found that the candidates’ answer, “no prophylaxis,” could not be considered wrong in light of the scientific literature and the question’s wording.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
More than 17,000 candidates took the medical specialty selection exam across Italy.
Courses began for many candidates.
Reports said the Council of State had ruled in favor of 27 candidates and ordered the ministry to award them full credit for the disputed answer.
The case returned to the Lazio Regional Administrative Court, which was asked to set a hearing on the merits urgently.
- Candidates in appeal
- 27
- Disputed question
- Multiple-choice question 34
- Candidates who took exam
- More than 17,000
- Exam timing
- July
- Court handling next hearing
- Lazio Regional Administrative Court
4 sources
Specializzazioni mediche, sentenza stravolge le graduatorie
Specializzazioni mediche, decisione del Consiglio di Stato stravolge le graduatorie: attesa valanga di ricorsi
Medici, la sentenza del Consiglio di Stato che stravolge la graduatoria per le scuole di specializzazione
What people are saying
The order is immediately enforceable
the Ministry of University and Research will have to overturn the ranking, which could also mean a significant intervention in these people’s lives, since classes began in early November for many