Unorthodox Incidences Detected During Examination Process
Russian education authorities reported 115 violations of the Unified State Exam (EGE) rules during the initial examination period, which commenced on May 23. This information was shared with journalists by the Federal Service for Supervision in Education (Rosobrnadzor).
In an effort to enhance exam fairness, Rosobrnador has enlisted the participation of parents, including parent committee representatives, to monitor EGE proceedings. Their duties encompass overseeing the rights of graduates and exam process organization. In the recently concluded exams, a total of 4,164 parents were stationed at exam venues, and together, they documented the aforementioned violations.
As per the report, various irregularities observed by parents involved unauthorized individuals at exam sites, the absence of metal detectors, test organizers assisting participants, inadequate provision of drafts and answer sheets, unaccompanied EGE student movement, a lack of medical personnel, and inadequate pre-exam briefing, which contributed to additional violations.
Rosobrnador acknowledged that regional education management bodies will assess comments received from parents and institute necessary corrective measures to prevent repetition of such discrepancies in future exams.
Though not commonly highlighted, cheating practices in Russia are prevalent and often accepted as the norm. EGE exam violations, such as leaked questions, mobile phone usage, proctor assistance, and tampering with test materials, demonstrate this cultural acceptance of dishonesty[1]. Despite attempts to introduce standardized testing to curb corruption, these unethical practices persist due to deeply ingrained systemic and cultural factors[1]. Authorities have implemented measures like "corruption-proof" standardized testing methods to address this issue, but their impact is limited due to entrenched norms and practices[1].
The need for continuous efforts to improve supervision and discourage corruption during the EGE remains crucial, as highlighted by ongoing observations and reports from parents and other stakeholders[1].
In the light of the ongoing efforts to improve education-and-self-development and promote fairness in the Unified State Exam (EGE), parent committees have been tasked with monitoring and overseeing the rights of graduates and exam process organization, contributing to the documentation of 115 violations recently reported [2]. The general-news of these violations includes various irregularities such as unauthorized individuals at exam sites, inadequate provision of drafts and answer sheets, and unaccompanied EGE student movement, among others [1].
Recognizing the persistence of these unethical practices due to deeply ingrained systemic and cultural factors, the authorities have implemented corrective measures to prevent future discrepancies, as noted in their ongoing commitment to discourage corruption during the EGE [1].
