The MP requested a deferment from mobilization for students of non-state universities

“Students in terms of legal status are no different from each other”

Students of full-time and part-time departments of universities are granted a deferment from the call for mobilization. With one caveat – we are talking about state universities. But there are also municipal and private ones. Oleg Smolin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma for Science and Higher Education, sent a deputy request addressed to Mikhail Mishustin to amend the decree “On granting a deferment from conscription for military service for mobilization” in terms of deleting the word “state” from the decree.

“The federal law “On Education” does not establish any differences in the legal status of students of educational institutions of higher education, depending on who their founders are,” Smolin said in a request. – The federal law “On military duty and military service” also does not establish any differences in granting the right to deferment for students, depending on whether universities are state, municipal or private … It seems appropriate to establish equal rights for students of professional organizations and educational organizations of higher education for a deferment from conscription for military service for mobilization.

Professor Igor Ilyinsky, rector of the Moscow Humanitarian University, expressed his opinion about how fair this division of students according to their universities is.

– I think that this is a mistake, and quite significant. Hundreds of thousands of students study in non-state universities in Russia. A student of an accredited non-state university in terms of legal status is no different from a student of a state university. And the law “On Military Duty” also does not establish any differences in granting the right to deferment from military service for students of accredited organizations of secondary vocational and higher education, depending on whether these organizations are state or non-state. Therefore, in my opinion, all university students should be equalized in their legal status.

– And what can you say about granting a deferment from the call for mobilization to graduate students?

– The Law “On Education in the Russian Federation” classifies graduate students as students and grants them the same rights as students and residents. In my opinion, in connection with partial mobilization, it would be necessary to observe all the norms of the legislation on the status and privileges of graduate students in this capacity as students.

Graduate students are overwhelmingly young boys and girls who have made a conscious choice to devote themselves to science. Receiving and improving their knowledge about the modern world, due to their youth and perseverance, they are able to make discoveries in the future that will change the world for the better. In science and education, the institution of continuity and full support from society and the state are extremely important.

A significant conscription of graduate students into the military would disrupt this continuity. It is worth saying that in recent years, part-time postgraduate studies have been canceled, and many can not afford the prices for full-time education. There were very few applicants for graduate school.

– What do you think about granting a deferment from the call for mobilization of university professors?

– Here, of course, everything is not so simple, it is necessary to work pointwise. Most university professors are candidates and doctors of science. They are the guard of the teaching staff. The quality of education and upbringing of young specialists depends on them. And the mass transition to military service will, of course, seriously affect the quality of the educational process. Including on the scientific supervision of graduate students. Some teachers are much more useful in the classroom than on the front lines.

Here is a specific example. A highly qualified teacher, 41 years old (I don’t give his last name), who has two higher educations, a doctor of economic sciences, has the rank of lieutenant. The university where he studied more than 20 years ago has a military department. Didn’t serve in the army. Where will he be more useful: at the university or in the trenches?

Let me emphasize that teachers perform not only educational work, but also an educational function. In the current situation, the task of teachers is also to correctly interpret the reasons for mobilization to students and much more. Male teachers in educational organizations are also a psychological factor, an example of a model of male behavior.