25.04.2017

The mandatory submission of expert medical and social reports to University Admission Offices could soon be waived.

Disabled applicants may soon only have to present a medical certificate confirming their right to preferential university education to Admissions Offices. The Russian Federation’s Committee on Social Policy is the driving force behind this proposal and has already recommended approval of the simplified procedure, writes the “Parliamentary Newspaper”.

Previously, Admissions Offices required an official report from medical and social experts but now they want this requirement to be dropped. Assessments on the health of an applicant don’t usually preclude their entry into a particular educational institution. Oleg Smolin, First Deputy of the State Duma’s Science and Education Committee and one of the co-authors of the proposal, said “Sometimes, it gets too absurd for words. Some universities demand that the name of their institution should actually appear in the official medical and social report”.

In order to avoid similar situations arising in future, the authors of this proposal have recommended that the legislation be amended to ensure that the expert medical and social appraisal includes permission for an applicant to study a specific specialism rather than the name of a particular university.

The Ministry of Education has also suggested that the requirement for disabled applicants to provide an expert medical and social report be waived. Their officials have decided that future students, along with other entrants, need only submit a normal medical certificate to the Admissions Office. “We believe this will make the university application process for disabled people that much easier”, said Smolin.

Source: https://www.asi.org.ru/news/2017/04/25/abiturienty-invalidy-vuzy/