Ceará has 261 thousand enrolled in Enem; see rules, schedule, writing tips and questions

Ceará has 261,923 registered for the National Secondary Education Examination (Enem) 2026, according to data released by the Ministry of Education (MEC). The biggest entrance exams in the country take place on Sundays, November 8th and 15th.

The number represents a 5% drop in the number of registrations compared to the previous year in the state, with a decrease of 14 thousand registered. Of the total number of registrants, the MEC detailed that 206.2 thousand are free registrations, while 55.7 thousand are paid.

See the profile of candidates in Ceará, according to self-declaration data sent to the MEC:

153,141 registrations are brown

80,775 white people

19,011 black

5,445 registrations were made without declaring color or race

1,981 yellow people

1,570 indigenous people

In Ceará, public transport will be free on the two Sundays on which the tests are administered. Free access will be offered on buses in Fortaleza, through the Free Every Day Pass, and on the metro lines and Light Rail Vehicles (VLT) that operate in Fortaleza, Sobral and the Cariri region.

Enem 2026 — Photo: Agência Brasil

See timetables

Timetable, November 8th and 15th:

12pm: Gates open

1pm: Gates close

1pm to 1:30pm: Safety procedures and instructions in the room

1:30 pm: Start of the tests

From 3:30 pm: It is permitted to leave the room without taking the question book

End times

November 8th - Languages, Humanities and Writing Tests: end at 7:00 pm (5h30 duration)

November 5th - Natural Sciences and Mathematics Tests: end at 6:30 pm (5h duration)

See what to take and what not to take

Candidates must be familiar with the guidelines for the exam, including what they can and cannot take on the day. Carrying prohibited objects or failing to comply with the rules of the notice may result in elimination, even if the student has prepared all year.

Do I need to bring the registration confirmation card? It is not mandatory, but it is recommended by Inep. The document contains information about the test location, chosen language (English or Spanish) and specialized assistance (if any). During the test, the paper must be kept.

Electronics must be turned off. If the cell phone or any other electronic device emits sounds even inside the envelope, the participant will be eliminated from Enem.

Can you take a purse or backpack? Yes, the Enem notice does not prohibit it. However, once inside the application room, the backpack must be placed under the chair and cannot be handled.

What to take to eat? In addition to a bottle of water (in transparent packaging), the ideal is to take food that gives energy, but is light, such as cereal bars, nuts, chocolates, simple cookies or natural sandwiches.

A black, transparent pen is the only one accepted in Enem; too many cannot be used — Photo: Marcelo Brandt/G1

See what is mandatory, what is permitted and what should be left out of the test room:

Mandatory items to take the Enem

Valid identification document, physical or digital; It must be original and with a photo.

Black ink ballpoint pen, made of transparent material

What you CAN take with you on Enem day

Snacks, water and non-alcoholic drinks CAN be consumed during the test

Religious items (such as kippah and veil) and accessibility materials (Braille typewriter, sorobã and magnifying glass), as long as they are inspected by inspectors

Preventive use facial mask

Items must be stored in the storage envelope or under the wallet:

Dark glasses and headgear, such as caps, hats, visors, beanies or the like;

Pen made of non-transparent material, pencil, mechanical pencil, erasers, rulers, concealers;

Books, leaflets, manuals, printed materials, notes;

Ear protector;

Watch of any type;

Any electronic devices, such as digital bottle/cup, electronic cigarette, cell phone, smartphone, tablet, wearable tech, calculator, electronic diary and/or similar, Ipod®, recorder, pen drive, mp3 and/or similar;

Alarms, alarm keys or any other electronic component;

Headphones and/or any transmitter, recorder and/or receiver of data, images, videos and messages;

Weapons are not allowed even in the envelope.

Tips for writing

Professor Bruno Cruz gave tips on preparing for the essay, explained how to avoid mistakes that could compromise the grade and pointed out possible thematic axes for the test in an interview with the videocast Fica por Dentro, on g1.

Among the guidelines, he highlighted:

Plan before you start writing: the recommendation is to prepare a "text project" with the definition of the thesis, the two main arguments, the repertoires that will be used and the intervention proposal. This planning helps organize ideas and avoid contradictions.

Avoid straying or straying from the topic: to do this, it is essential to identify the keywords of the proposal and understand exactly what is being asked.

Use sociocultural repertoires strategically: films, books, laws, historical facts, news and knowledge from other areas can enrich the writing, as long as they are relevant to the topic and contribute to defending the thesis. It's not enough to quote a famous reference; It is necessary to explain its relationship to the argument.

Avoid ready-made arguments: memorized quotes and formulas, used on any subject, tend to be poorly evaluated. Brokers value authored texts.

In the final stretch, it is worth reviewing high-grade models: consult the Inep candidate manual, which brings together essays with maximum marks, to understand how the arguments were organized.

Start the test by reading the essay proposal: Even if the candidate chooses to solve the objective questions first, the initial reading of the topic allows him to start thinking about arguments and repertoires while completing the rest of the test.

Stay tuned for major social issues: stay up to date on social issues, such as education, climate change, racism, protection of children and adolescents, internet, accessibility, inclusion and others.

Careful in the intervention proposal: It must present five elements: action, responsible agent, method of execution, purpose and detail. A complete and well-structured intervention can make a difference in the final grade.

Review before cleaning: After completing the text, take a few minutes to check spelling, grammar, cohesion and clarity of arguments. Proofreading helps you avoid mistakes.

Tips for objective questions

Answer book, test, exam, competition, Enem — Photo: Eduardo Ribeiro Jr./g1

To correct objective questions, Enem uses the Item Response Theory (IRT) method, which means that "guessing" questions that the candidate does not know may not be a good strategy. Understand more here.

The recommendation, therefore, is to take the test in the following order:

In the 1st reading: solve all the questions that you consider easy.

In the 2nd reading: answer the questions in which you were left between two alternatives, considered average.

In the 3rd reading: ask longer questions or on subjects that are not so common in Enem, considered difficult.

In this case, if the student leaves the questions he finds difficult to answer until last, and if he needs to guess, the grade will not be so compromised if he gets the answer wrong.

Despite prioritizing consistent performance, TRI does not cancel the grade if a student gets difficult questions right and easy ones wrong.

In this case, the pattern of answers will identify a variation and will assign a lower score to this correct answer than it would if the easier items were also correct.