This year, graduation exams were held on March 9 and 15. After the exams, serious concerns were observed among applicants and parents regarding the high difficulty level of the graduation exams.
It is interesting, does the high difficulty level of the graduation exams create the possibility that DİM will prepare easier questions for the admission (block) exams?
Regarding the topic, education expert Ramin Nurəliyev gave a statement to AzEdu.az.
He noted that despite holding graduation exams on different dates, the State Examination Center generally maintains the same difficulty level and adheres to the principle of fairness:
“Yesterday, we witnessed the graduation exam being held for the second zone. Compared to the March 9 exam, the difficulty level was approximately the same. For years, the State Examination Center has adhered to the principle of fairness and equality in exams held on different dates.
Applicants' opinions may differ. For example, March 9 participants consider the March 15 exam easy, while March 15 participants consider the March 9 exam easy. Nevertheless, the overall level is the same; only slight differences may occur on certain dates.
For example, in the March 9 exam, Azerbaijani language was difficult, mathematics was medium-difficult, and English language was easy. In the March 15 exam, mathematics was difficult, Azerbaijani language was medium, and English language was again presented at an easy level".
Our wish is for the graduation exam to be held on a single date. Thus, different rumors and discussions would no longer arise, and the balance would be strictly maintained:
“Holding graduation exams on a single day is desirable, and the State Examination Center has sufficient capabilities for this. The Center has certain experience in this direction and has successfully implemented the practice over the years. I believe that graduation exams can easily be organized on a single date - this is within the Center's power.
In previous years, exams were held on three different dates, and in the last two years, on two different dates. From next year, it will be possible to hold graduation exams on a single day. This does not require large financial resources; simply increasing the number of supervisors is sufficient. With additional remuneration and financial support, the exam can be successfully conducted.
Thus, organizing the graduation exam on a single date will ensure fair equality, prevent different rumors and discussions, and maintain balance”.
If 55 people scored maximum points in 2023 and 43 in 2024, I expect the number of maximum scorers this year to be less than half:
“This year's difficulty of the graduation exams has been severely criticized on social platforms by teachers, applicants, and parents compared to the last two years. The graduation exam is not only part of the admission process for specialty groups 1-4, but also plays a role in college admissions and is applied together with the aptitude test for specialty group 5. Therefore, I believe that the graduation exam should not be too difficult, but should be organized at an easier level.
The State Examination Center has already announced that the graduation exam was not made difficult. The exact situation will be known after the results are announced. For example, in previous years, 55 people scored maximum points (300 points) in 2023, and 43 people in 2024. However, this year, according to my expectations, the number of maximum scorers may be less than half.
There is no information on social platforms regarding maximum scorers, and this year the difficulty of the exam will be felt more prominently compared to the last two years. Naturally, the State Examination Center will release these statistical data".
The risk of unfilled plan places will compel DİM to simplify the questions in the block exam:
“If the situation continues like this, the State Examination Center will be forced to simplify the block exam. Otherwise, the number of applicants meeting the competition requirements may decrease, and the risk of unfilled plan places may arise. For example, last year the State allocated 62,000 plan places, and this year 65,000. If the exam is too difficult, 70,000 applicants will be at risk of not being admitted. Therefore, I believe that DİM will pay special attention to simplifying the questions in the block exam".
The graduation exam should generally be organized at an easy level, as these grades are recorded on the certificate and represent the student's overall secondary education performance:
“Overall, graduation exams should be organized at an easy level. In block exams, however, it is possible to apply certain difficulties according to specialty groups. For example, certain subjects for group 4 can be made slightly more difficult, and history for group 3, and biology for group 4, so that a young person well-prepared in biology is given preference for admission to Medical University and other specialties. At the same time, it is possible to make history more difficult for humanitarian specialties in group 3, and mathematics for group 2.
Such differentiations are understandable and considered acceptable. However, such difficulties cannot be applied in the graduation exam, because the grades given in this exam are recorded on the certificate, and this factor must be taken into account".
It is not right to prepare the exam based on the potential of Baku schools and disregard remote mountain schools:
“The graduation exam is not only for university admission. Therefore, all students participate in this exam. It is possible that a child participates in the graduation exam but does not participate in the admission process. Or a child may apply to foreign universities, not wishing to study in Azerbaijan. Such cases are possible.
Therefore, the State Examination Center should generally simplify and ease the graduation exam. The recording of grades on the certificate must also be taken into account. The quality of education in general secondary schools varies: there are weak students, good students, those who attend tutoring, and those who do not. At the same time, the education system in remote mountain villages must also be considered, as the graduation exam is held nationwide.
That is, if the exam is prepared only according to the potential and level of Baku schools, remote mountain schools would be disregarded. If you consider students who easily attend tutoring in Baku, but disregard the mountain schools of Yardimli, this would not be right. Therefore, the graduation exam should be simplified, taking into account the entire country, the general educational process, and the situation in schools".
