2026 Maturity Exams: First Test Questions: Hypotheses, Authors, and Literary Anniversaries

With just a few days to go until the 2026 final exams , the guessing game is in full swing. The first test, scheduled for Thursday, June 18, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., represents the first real challenge for over 500,000 Italian students. The structure is now well-established: seven exam topics divided into three categories, with this year's new feature being that the exam opens on Thursday, rather than Wednesday.

How the first 2026 test works

The Ministry of Education and Merit offers seven exam topics divided into three categories. Each student can choose their preferred exam topic, regardless of their major. The exam lasts six hours and is administered nationally: the same topic is covered in all schools in Italy.

The typologies are as follows:

Type A (2 topics) — Analysis and interpretation of a literary text. Two passages, one by an Italian author and one by a foreign or 20th-century Italian author. This is the preferred type for those with advanced knowledge, as it requires specific knowledge of textual analysis.

Type B (3 topics) — Analysis and production of an argumentative text. Three topics in different fields: artistic-literary, socio-economic, and historical-political. Critical thinking skills and the ability to construct a thesis are assessed.

Type C (2 topics) — Critical reflection on current events. Two topics based on a supporting text (newspaper article, essay, speech). This is the "freest" topic, often chosen by those who don't want to get tangled up in authors and poetry.

Literary Anniversaries 2026: Most Likely Authors for Type A

Each year, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage selects the topics for Type A based on literary anniversaries. 2026 is full of significant anniversaries that could inform the Ministry's choices.

Among the strongest candidates for text analysis, we find:

Primo Levi — 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of his death (1987-2027, but the centenary of his birth falls in 2019). He remains highly relevant for his themes of memory and individual responsibility. The essay on the Nazi concentration camp system proposed for 2025 could suggest a return to previously explored civic themes.

Eugenio Montale — It's been 100 years since his first seminal collection ( Ossi di seppia , 1925, whose fame, however, exploded in the following years). Nobel Prize winner in 1975, he is among the Ministry's most sought-after authors for Type A, with his hermetic poetry offering endless food for thought.

Luigi Pirandello — 90 years after his death (1936, but 2026 is his 90th birthday). Pirandello's theatre and the theme of the social mask are among the most popular. His short story output—from The Train Blew to The Driver's License —is perfect for textual analysis.

Giuseppe Ungaretti — 2026 marks the 55th anniversary of his death (1970). He was a poet most beloved by students due to the brevity of his poems, which made them easy to analyze during exams. "San Martino del Carso" and "Mattina" are among the most frequently performed texts. Worth keeping an eye on.

Italo Svevo — A hundred years after the publication of La coscienza di Zeno (1923, but the novel really exploded in the following years with the reappraisal of Montale). The theme of ineptitude and psychoanalysis remains highly relevant for high school graduates.

Type B: the most likely topics

For Type B, the three traditional strands offer great opportunities. Here are the most popular scenarios:

Artistic-literary context: The relationship between intellectuals and power, with references to Dante, Manzoni, or Pasolini. Or a text on the value of reading in the digital age, an evergreen theme.

Socioeconomic: Artificial intelligence and the future of work, the generation gap, and environmental sustainability. These are hot topics in 2026, given the recent transformations in the labor market.

Historical-political context: Italy's role in Europe, the defense of democracy, and ongoing international conflicts. With the global tensions of 2026, a historical-political text is almost a given.

Type C: current affairs topics

Type C is the wild card of the first test. In 2026, the most likely themes are:

Youth and the Future: A timely text on the new generations facing insecurity, climate change, and new lifestyles. A recurring, almost omnipresent theme in recent years.

Technology and rights: The impact of AI on fundamental rights, privacy, and employment. With the heated debate over DOGE, automation, and regulation, this is a topic the Ministry could address.

How to prepare for the first test

If you want to be ready for June 18th, there's only one piece of advice: practice writing under pressure . It's not enough to know who Montale is or what Pirandello wrote. You must be able to produce a coherent, well-structured text in six hours, with a clear thesis and solid arguments.

Read newspapers for Type C, review 20th-century authors for Type A, and above all do at least a couple of full simulations. The guessing game is fun, but in the end, it's the actual preparation that makes the difference.

Good luck to all the 2026 graduates!