Academic debt: some graduates may be required to take the Unified State Exam in physics and mathematics

Graduates of Russian schools entering engineering universities are proposed to be required to take the Unified State Exam in physics and specialized mathematics. Nikolai Patrushev, Assistant to the President and head of the Maritime Board, recommended working out the issue of a phased transition to such a system at a meeting on training engineers in St. Petersburg. Those who go to creative professions will not be affected by the rule. The head of the Ministry of Education and Science, Valery Falkov, added that interest in these two subjects is already growing — the department is recording an influx of those who want to take them. According to experts, such noticeable changes in the school curriculum will really help solve the problem of staff shortages and improve the skills of future specialists.

How will engineering education change in the Russian Federation

Nikolai Patrushev, Assistant to the President, Head of the Maritime Board He held a meeting in St. Petersburg dedicated to the training of engineers for the Russian shipbuilding industry. The Board keeps this issue under special control: the previous similar meeting was held back in March. Now that the exam and the admission campaign at universities have been completed, the agency intends to evaluate the first results of state regulation in this area.

The meeting was held at St. Petersburg State Maritime Technical University, which is also called the "Shipbuilder". Nikolai Patrushev began by saying that the President had set the task of ensuring a drastic increase in the quality of higher school personnel. Its solution directly depends on the preparation of applicants.

In 2026, 347 thousand students passed the Unified State Exam in specialized mathematics. people (against 311 thousand in 2025), and 120 thousand in physics. (a year earlier it was 99 thousand). However, even such an increase is not enough to close 194 thousand. There are strong applicants for engineering budget places in universities, Nikolai Patrushev emphasized.

At the same time, the number of schoolchildren who received more than 60 points on the Unified State Exam in physics, that is, they were actually able to master engineering programs with high quality, amounted to only 75.5 thousand this year. In this regard, the Russian Ministry of Education and Science has established physics as a compulsory subject for admission to only 25 engineering specialties out of 204 available in 2026.

"In order to expand the base of applicants for engineering specialties, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, together with the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia and Rosobrnadzor, should work on the phased introduction of the Unified State Exam in physics and specialized mathematics for all graduates, with the exception of schoolchildren who have chosen creative higher education specialties," said the assistant to the President of Russia.

Now all graduates are required to take the Russian language and mathematics, they choose the rest of the subjects. Moreover, the student independently determines whether to solve math assignments at the basic or at the profile level, which is required for admission to technical educational institutions.

Head of the Ministry of Education and Science Valery Falkov He noted that in recent years it has been possible to reverse a dangerous trend: the decline in interest in physics has stopped, and there has even been some growth. To consolidate this success, in 2026, universities were given even more freedom to require applicants to pass physics upon admission.

— Now we are working on the issue of expanding the number of specialties from 2027, which require mandatory passing an entrance test in physics, — said Falkov.

A country claiming technological leadership must have a strong school of physics and mathematics, Vladimir Shapovalov, deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics at Moscow State University, told Izvestia.. According to him, the increase in the number of physics students will give a powerful impetus to the training of new engineers. At the same time, the expert does not believe that all graduates will be forced to take this subject: the strict requirement will apply only to applicants to technical faculties, while future humanities and creative specialists will continue to prepare for their specialized exams.

Improving teacher training

To improve the level of education of schoolchildren, it is necessary to develop the project "Engineering classes". However, in a number of regions, this work is proceeding slowly and only on paper, and schools still have not received the necessary equipment, Nikolai Patrushev said.

There are also positive examples: St. Petersburg State Maritime Technical University has opened a Higher School of Physics and Technology. She will, among other things, train St. Petersburg high school students in mathematics, physics and chemistry. Nevertheless, it is the schools that bear the basic responsibility for the training of future specialists.

In addition to physics and mathematics, there are problems with biology and chemistry. Only 48-59 thousand people receive high scores (more than 60) on the Unified State Exam. people, and 14-17 thousand. schoolchildren fail exams every year without passing the minimum threshold. In this regard, Nikolai Patrushev instructed the Ministry of Education to promptly raise the quality of teaching natural science subjects.

In 2026, universities were able to close budget places for targeted training in pedagogical specialties by only 45%, the presidential aide noted.

At the same time, the regions themselves play a huge role in teacher training. As a successful example, the Governor of St. Petersburg, Alexander Beglov, cited the experience of the Northern Capital, where an influx of young teachers is being recorded, and schools are actively developing a mentoring system from experienced colleagues.

New submarines of the Russian Federation

The level of engineering training directly affects Russia's naval power. Immediately after the meeting, Nikolai Patrushev took part in the laying ceremony of the Maloyaroslavets Project 677 submarine at the Admiralty Shipyards (part of the USC) in St. Petersburg. This is a historic place: it was here that the country's first underwater vehicle tests took place in 1724. The modernization of the plant does not stop — in 2027 the company will renovate the machine-building workshop, said Andrey Puchkov, General Director of USC.

The submarines of Project 677 are the most modern Russian non—nuclear submarines. They are characterized by an ultra-low noise level and powerful acoustic protection, and their missile and torpedo system allows for high-precision strikes against both sea and coastal targets. At the same time, the Maloyaroslavets will become the fifth ship in this advanced series.

Personnel for shipbuilding will be trained at the open design bureau "Power Machines — St. Petersburg State Technical University", which has already become the fifth student design bureau at the university. Nikolai Patrushev also took part in the opening of the Alley of Glory of Russian Science at Korabelka and toured an exhibition of innovative medical equipment. At the same time, the recreation infrastructure is also developing: the presidential aide opened a beach volleyball center at the university.

The development of human resources for the fleet is a complex process. The future of shipbuilding directly depends on the level of teaching in schools and universities, as well as on the close relationship between factories and educational institutions. The special attention of the state to this topic once again underlines the importance of maritime policy for the country's leadership.