Residents of Kirov expressed their opinions on Olympic benefits and changes in the Unified State Exam (USE).

      In a survey conducted by SuperJob, a technological leader in the HR field, representatives of the economically active population of Kirov participated. They were asked to express their opinions on the initiatives announced by the presidential aide, former Minister of Education and Science Andrey Fursenko. The discussion revolved around two measures: increasing the difficulty of the Unified State Exam (USE) and canceling a significant portion of the Olympiads, the results of which allow applicants to enter universities without entrance exams (BVI).

      Regarding the Unified State Exam, 55% of the surveyed residents of Kirov supported its complete abolition. Only 3% of respondents backed the option of increasing the difficulty of the tasks. At the same time, 16% of survey participants would prefer to simplify the exam, while 20% stated that they are satisfied with the current format. Among men, there were more supporters of complicating the USE than among women. A similar trend was observed in the age group under 35, where the idea of increasing difficulty was more commonly shared than among older respondents.

      Kirov residents responded differently to the question about Olympiad privileges. 56% of those surveyed opposed the abolition of the right to enter universities without entrance exams based on Olympiad results. As an argument, respondents cited the opinion that Olympiads remain one of the ways for talented schoolchildren from the regions to gain admission to prestigious universities. A complete abolition of such privileges was supported by 18% of survey participants. Another 6% suggested alternative options, such as considering Olympiad achievements but with certain restrictions.

      Analysis of the responses shows differences across socio-demographic groups. The most active supporters of maintaining Olympiad preferences were respondents aged 35 to 45, whose share was higher than that of younger and older participants. A dependence on education level was also identified: among university graduates, 60% supported the retention of BVI, while among college graduates, the figure was 43%.

      Researchers separately analyzed the opinions of parents whose children are in high school. In this category, 26% of respondents agreed with the proposal to abolish Olympiad privileges. The idea of increasing the difficulty of the USE was supported by 5% of respondents in this group.