Russian Education Watchdog Bans Student Searches at 2026 National Exams

© ООО "Региональные новости"

The Russian education watchdog, Rosobrnadzor, has updated the rules for admission to the Unified State Exam (USE) in 2026, eliminating the practice of personal searches of students before entering exam venues, according to RIA Novosti citing its own source.

Under the new guidelines, exam supervisors and security personnel are no longer allowed to touch students or their belongings. Instead, a softer control mechanism has been introduced: if a metal detector goes off, the student will be asked to voluntarily hand over the item causing the signal and store it in a designated area or give it to an accompanying person.

If the student refuses to comply, they will not be allowed to take the exam. However, the possibility of retaking the exam during reserve dates will remain subject to a decision by the state exam commission.

The main USE session in 2026 will begin on June 1, with the first exams in history, literature, and chemistry. Additional retake dates are scheduled for late June and early July for those looking to improve their scores in one of the subjects.

Rosobrnadzor emphasized that the changes aim to protect the rights of exam participants while maintaining the necessary level of control over the exam process.