Quick Summary
- 1In 2025, a pilot program was introduced in Moscow, St.
- 2Petersburg, and the Lipetsk region to simplify the graduation process for ninth-grade students.
- 3Under this initiative, students in these specific regions were required to take only two state exams—Russian language and mathematics—to receive their certificates.
- 4This represented a reduction of roughly half the exam load compared to their peers in other Russian regions, who typically face a broader range of testing requirements.
Quick Summary
In 2025, a significant educational experiment was launched across three major Russian regions. Graduating students in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and the Lipetsk region were granted a unique testing arrangement that differed from the rest of the country.
Instead of the standard array of examinations, these students were only required to pass two specific tests to obtain their school leaving certificates. This initiative effectively reduced the examination burden by 50% for the affected cohort. The decision was designed to streamline the certification process for the academic year, placing the focus squarely on foundational academic skills.
The 2025 Pilot Initiative
The year 2025 marked the implementation of a new educational policy designed to alter the landscape of secondary school certification in specific Russian regions. The initiative targeted graduates completing the ninth grade, a critical juncture in the Russian education system where students typically face the State Final Examination (OGE).
Under the terms of this pilot program, students in the participating regions were granted the right to take significantly fewer exams than their peers elsewhere. The policy was structured to simplify the path to graduation for a specific demographic, creating a controlled test group for the Ministry of Education to evaluate the efficacy of reduced testing loads.
Regional Scope and Requirements
The experiment was geographically limited to three specific administrative territories. The participating regions included the federal cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg, along with the Lipetsk region. Students in these areas operated under a distinct set of graduation criteria compared to the rest of the Russian Federation.
To successfully obtain their certificates, students in these regions were only required to demonstrate proficiency in two core subjects. The mandatory exams were:
- Russian Language
- Mathematics
Passing these two examinations was the sole prerequisite for graduation in these regions for the 2025 academic year.
Comparison with National Standards
The disparity between the pilot regions and the rest of the country was substantial. In the majority of Russian regions, ninth-grade graduates are required to pass a broader set of exams to receive their attestation. While the specific number of mandatory exams can vary slightly by region, it typically includes four or more subjects.
By limiting the requirement to just two subjects, the pilot regions effectively reduced the exam load by two times (or 50%) compared to the standard requirement. This created a unique educational environment for the participating students, distinguishing their 2025 academic experience from that of their peers across the nation.
Implications for Students
For the students in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Lipetsk, the policy meant a significant reduction in preparation time and testing stress. By removing the requirement to take exams in other subjects—such as history, physics, or foreign languages—the program allowed students to concentrate their efforts on mastering the Russian language and mathematics.
This streamlined approach likely impacted study habits and curriculum focus in the final year of middle school. The success and reception of this 2025 experiment could potentially influence future decisions regarding the structure of the OGE and the standardization of educational requirements across the federation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The pilot program was implemented in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and the Lipetsk region.
Students were required to pass only two exams: Russian language and mathematics.
