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Inep expanded the accessibility rules of the exam and included conditions previously left out. Attention to an important detail: the companion does not sit next to the candidate nor help with the exam; they stay in a reserved room, ready to provide support in case of a crisis. And the registration deadline is approaching.
The anxiety that hinders so many students during the exam received a concrete response in Enem 2026. The National Institute of Educational Studies and Research Anísio Teixeira, Inep, now allows candidates with mental disorders such as anxiety crisis, OCD, and ADHD, as well as people with fibromyalgia, to request a support companion during the exam days, as part of an expansion of the exam’s accessibility policies.
The new feature is included in the Enem 2026 notice and was announced by Inep, responsible for the exam, in June 2026. The measure follows a significant increase in demand for specialized assistance in recent years. It is important to highlight from the outset, a point that often raises doubts: this companion does not have access to the exam room nor assists the candidate in answering the questions; they remain in a reserved room, ready to provide support if the participant needs assistance or stabilization, as we will see in detail below.
What changes in Enem 2026
The main change is the expansion of situations covered by specialized assistance. For the first time, the Enem 2026 notice explicitly includes fibromyalgia and mental disorders such as anxiety crisis, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among the conditions that entitle candidates to support resources during the exams, recognizing needs that were not clearly provided for before.
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In practice, a student diagnosed with a history of anxiety disorder, for example, will be able to count on the support of a companion on exam days. This is a measure of accessibility and support, aimed at ensuring that people with these conditions can take the exam with more safety and comfort, under fairer conditions, and not any kind of advantage in the evaluation itself.
How the support companion works
This is the point that deserves more attention to avoid misinterpretations. The companion of the candidate diagnosed with mental disorders does not enter the exam room: they wait in a reserved room, monitored by proctors, and are only called upon if support or stabilization of the participant is needed during the exam, ensuring support without interfering with the exam process.
This same reserved space can accommodate professionals or relatives of the participant, including to assist in situations such as going to the bathroom or eating during the exams. As in any other case, all companions undergo electronic screening, using a metal detector, and do not have direct contact with the candidate during the exam, except in cases authorized by the coordination. The measure thus balances support with the security and integrity of the exam.
Who else is entitled to specialized assistance
The new conditions add to a list that was already extensive. The specialized assistance of Enem already included people with low vision, blindness, physical, auditory, or intellectual disabilities, deafness, dyslexia, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), diabetes, as well as pregnant and nursing women, among other situations, with a range of accessibility resources available to participants.
Among these resources are the use of guide dogs or emotional support dogs, hearing aids, cochlear implants, braille materials, thick-tipped pens, special glasses, magnifying glasses, support boards, colostomy bags, glucose meters, and insulin pumps, among others. All equipment is inspected by the coordination before the start of the exam, ensuring that support is offered within the rules of the exam.
The surge in demand for specialized assistance
The expansion of the rules follows a clear trend in the exam numbers. Between 2022 and 2025, the number of candidates served by the specialized assistance modality in Enem grew by 191%, jumping from 30,856 to 89,770 participants, according to data from Inep, which helps explain the decision to expand the conditions covered by the notice.
In the 2025 edition alone, Inep authorized about 165,000 accessibility resources for approximately 116,000 participants who requested this type of assistance. Experts associate this growth with greater awareness of educational inclusion and the increase in diagnoses of neurodivergent conditions and mental disorders, topics that are gaining more space and less stigma in Brazilian society.
How and until when to request
For those entitled, it is essential to pay attention to the procedure and deadline. The specialized assistance must be requested by the interested party at the time of registration, exclusively on the Enem Participant Page, and it is necessary to prove the condition according to the requirements of the notice, as the benefit depends on diagnosis and approval of the request by Inep.
It is important to emphasize that the registration deadline for Enem 2026 ends this Friday, June 5, 2026, which makes it urgent for those who intend to request support to pay attention. Therefore, it is worth advising friends and family who meet these conditions not to leave it to the last minute and to carefully read the official rules available on the Participant’s Page, ensuring that the request is made correctly and within the deadline.
The expansion of specialized support in Enem 2026 represents an important advancement in the inclusion policies of the country’s largest educational exam, recognizing that conditions such as anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and fibromyalgia may also require support during the exam. More than a bureaucratic change, the measure reflects a society that is broadening its perspective on mental health and neurodiversity. For students who fall into these situations, here is the practical advice: get informed, gather the necessary documentation, and make your request within the deadline, ensuring the right to take the exam under fairer conditions.
And you, what do you think of Enem 2026’s decision to expand support for students with mental disorders and fibromyalgia? Do you believe that measures like this help make the exam fairer? Leave your comment, respecting different opinions, share your experience, and help spread the word to those who will take the Enem or know someone who might need this support.
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