Russian parents to take a mini Unified State Exam on April 23
Nationwide "Taking the Exam Together: Parents' Unified State Exam Day" (12+) to Be Held in Nizhny Novgorod Region on April 23
The event will allow any parent or legal guardian of a schoolchild to experience the full procedure of the Unified State Exam (USE), Russia's standardized high school graduation test, the regional government's press service reports.
Priority participation is extended to parents of this year's high school graduates.
As noted by the Nizhny Novgorod Region's Ministry of Education, the initiative has become an annual tradition, typically held about a month before the start of the main USE period. This year, parents will have the opportunity to test their knowledge in the Russian language exam.
"We organize USE practice sessions for students in February and March, so they arrive prepared, knowing exactly what to expect. The nationwide 'Taking the Exam Together' campaign is designed to demonstrate the transparency of the state graduation exam process to parents as well. When adults feel confident, they can better support their children," explained Mikhail Puchkov, the region's education minister.
The event will take place across all municipal districts of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, including every district of Nizhny Novgorod. Parents can inquire about designated school venues through their local education department or office, where they will be asked to submit a participation request and arrange access. On the day of the event, a passport will be required for entry.
One of the venues in Nizhny Novgorod will be School No. 188, where Education Minister Mikhail Puchkov, Nizhny Novgorod Region Children's Rights Commissioner Margarita Ushakova, regional legislative assembly representatives, law enforcement officials, and other specialists are expected to take part.
During the "mock USE," adults will go through all standard exam procedures: registration, surrendering phones and personal belongings, pre-exam security checks, and filling out answer sheets. They will see firsthand how exam oversight is conducted, what epidemiological safety measures are in place, and how test materials are printed and processed.
Participants will complete an abbreviated version of the exam—modeled after the 2026 USE tasks but condensed to 30 minutes instead of the usual 3.5–4 hours. Despite the shorter format, the event will introduce parents to the variety of question types featured in the test.
Let us recall that continuously improving the quality of education nationwide is a core objective of Russia's Youth and Children national project. Launched on the instruction of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the initiative comprises nine federal programs: "Russia – Land of Opportunity," "We Are Together," "Russia in the World," "The Best for Children," "Leading Schools," "Teachers and Mentors," "Building a Network of Modern Campuses," "Universities for a Generation of Leaders," and "Professionalism."
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