Russia Overhauls School Olympiads to Boost Fairness and Access for Students
Russia is altering how school olympiads are conducted, as per a report by Parliamentary Gazette. The reforms will impact how winners are selected, who can participate, and how the competitions are judged. Officials state that the updates aim to make the process fairer and more inclusive for all students.
The new rules will apply only to olympiads managed by the Russian Council of School Olympiads (RCSO). They do not cover the All-Russian School Olympiad, which remains separate.
Starting in the next academic year, the minimum number of participants in each olympiad will increase from 300 to 500. The number of regions sending contestants will also rise, from 10 to 25. This expansion aims to provide more students across the country with the opportunity to compete.
Vocational college students will now be permitted to enter, broadening eligibility. The final round will also shift to an in-person format for everyone, ensuring a more consistent and transparent evaluation.
The structure of the competitions is changing as well. Half of the final-round tasks will be creative and original, up from the current 30%. The reforms will also adjust how juries and commissions are formed and how olympiads are classified by tier.
In 2025, over 60% of olympiad winners who skipped entrance exams enrolled in just ten top universities in Moscow and St. Petersburg. A proposal in October 2025 suggested limiting the number of such admissions in 2026 for programs where these applicants made up more than half of the previous year's intake.
The changes will take effect in the next academic year. They aim to widen participation, improve fairness, and adjust how winners gain university admission benefits. The focus remains on olympiads under the RCSO, leaving the All-Russian School Olympiad unaffected.
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