Shortage of students in the universities of the country

Baku / 16.08.18 / Turan: The State Examination Center (SEC) announced the results of the competition for choosing specialties in higher educational institutions for the 2018-2019 school year. The chairman of the Board of Directors of the SEC, Maleyka Abbaszadeh, stated at the press conference, this year 29 people scored the maximum number of points on the entrance exams - 700 points. According to her, over the past years there have been significant changes to improve the system of testing the knowledge of applicants. Changes touched the form and content of the admission examinations, they contributed to an objective and transparent assessment of the knowledge of applicants.

Since 2017, the entrants have been allowed twice - in the spring and in the summer - to participate in admission exams for the chosen particular group. But this year they were given the opportunity to participate in the exams also in various groups of specialties, which gives young people better results, more confidently to take part in the competition for choosing specialties. All these changes had a positive impact on the results of the exams.

Nevertheless, as the statistics of the SEC show, there is a large shortage of students in the universities of the country. At the entrance examinations, in total, over 74,000 young men and women took part in the First and Fourth specialty groups, of which 44,772 people went to the specialty selection stage. Competitive selection passed 39906 entrants, having received the right to study at universities. Of these, 11963 people entered the field on government procurement, 27943 people - paid places.

The plan for admission to universities was fulfilled only by 88.3%; it is very result, taking into account that in past years this figure exceeded 90%. Of the 45,159 places that are allocated in the country's higher educational institutions, and more than 5,000 remain vacant. Most of them are paid places and regional universities. The experience of previous years shows, because of high fees, often poor students refuse to study in higher education. For example, this year at the Azerbaijan Medical University, fees for training in the specialty "medical business" have been increased from 3,500 manats to 4,500 manats. One year of study in the bachelor's program at the "ADA" university already costs 6500 manat. For the average Azerbaijani family this is a huge sum. New tuition fees have been established by other metropolitan universities.

The SEC announced an additional placement for the remaining vacant places in the country's universities. This process will last from August 16 to 21. Information on the number of vacant places by specialty groups will be published in the journal "Entrant" No. 8.

According to the rules, from August 16 to August 28, entrants must register, submit documents to the universities they entered (except Saturday, Sunday and holidays). The list of required documents can be found in these universities. -0--