Military service will help extend the shelf life of Unified State Exam results

The State Duma proposes to freeze the validity of Unified State Examination results during military service. This measure will affect both conscripts and those mobilized with contract soldiers. Deputies are confident that this will help “restore global justice” – especially in relation to participants in hostilities. At the same time, the Ministry of Education and Science believes that SHE participants are already supported “on a systematic basis” when entering universities. The universities surveyed by Kommersant assess the initiative positively.

The amendment to the law “On Education” was prepared by a group of deputies from the Liberal Democratic Party led by the chairman of the Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veterans Affairs Yaroslav Nilov. They remind you that currently the Unified State Exam results are valid for four years from the date of passing the state exam and there is no way to extend this period. Therefore, “citizens drafted into the armed forces (including by mobilization) are placed in less favorable conditions when entering universities than those who did not serve in military service,” the authors indicate in the explanatory note to the bill. The deputies are confident that the adoption of such an amendment “will be fair, first of all, to the participants of the SBO.” Moreover, the opportunity to use the old Unified State Exam results will help them “quickly adapt to civilian life” after demobilization. Yaroslav Nilov told Kommersant that this initiative will help “restore global justice.” “When choosing to serve in the army, a person is not just wasting time, but is giving back to his homeland,” he explained. The bill has already been sent to the government for approval.

The Ministry of Education and Science stated that the issue of validity of USE results is under the jurisdiction of Rosobrnadzor. At the same time, the ministry emphasized that “support for SVO participants and their children is already provided on a systematic basis.” The department recalled that these categories of applicants are admitted to universities within a separate quota (at least 10% of the number of budget places in each direction), where a separate competition of points is provided for them. They can also take an internal university exam instead of the Unified State Exam. Even within the framework of this quota, it is possible to enroll without exams – such a benefit is given to Heroes of the Russian Federation and holders of three Orders of Courage, their children, as well as children of deceased or injured participants of the Northern Military District. Rosobrnadzor was unable to promptly comment to Kommersant on the deputy initiative.

Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroev believes that the amendment “will allow young people to repay their debt to their homeland without regard to the validity of the Unified State Examination results.” “The measure will not be unnecessary, since the number of people wishing to undergo compulsory military service before receiving higher education is growing. And then you will understand more clearly what your soul is about and who you want to study for,” Mr. Stroev is sure.

“In this way, we will emphasize that military service is a constitutional duty, and the state retains all the rights of the future applicant who fulfills this duty,” first vice-rector of the Russian State University Jomart Aliyev approved the idea. He added that SVO participants “need to create every opportunity to receive higher education,” and recalled that President Putin called them “the new elite.” Mr. Aliyev also proposed organizing free courses in basic subjects for this category of applicants if they have a need to “restore school knowledge” after service.

Polina Yachmennikova