The key facts
- The main date for the final essay is December 2
- Applications must be submitted no later than November 18
- Almost 70% of applications have been submitted via Gosuslugi
The date has been set
Rosobrnadzor announced on Max, that the main date for the final essay for 11th-grade graduates and external students this year has been set for December 2. Applications to participate must be submitted no later than November 18 — two weeks before the essay. According to the agency, almost 70% of applications have already been submitted via Gosuslugi.
Context: the debate over exams
The announcement of the essay date came amid an ongoing debate about the graduation exam system. In November, the head of the Presidential Human Rights Council Valery Fadeyev stated, that Russian schoolchildren should not, after completing their studies, be limited to taking the Unified State Exam in a few selected subjects, and he advocated returning to exams in all key disciplines. Earlier, a survey reported by Gazeta.Ru showed that 63% of Russians would like to bring back the Soviet-style post-school examination system, 18% would replace the current state exams with a common graduation exam based on ticket questions, and only 10% would not want to change the current system. These statements and the survey reflect public debate and are not yet adopted decisions: the rules for this year's final essay remain in the previous format.
