Annually, a list of school Olympiads is published on the website of the Ministry of Education. In the 2016-2017 academic year, their number reached 88. School Olympiads are held by the country's leading universities. The general list of Olympiads for schoolchildren and the levels indicated in it cover the whole variety of these competitions.
Who needs the Olympiad and why?
What is the meaning and practical use of such Olympiads? Most of them enable a student even from the most remote region of Russia to try his luck in entering any of the most prestigious universities in the country - from MGIMO and Moscow State University to Baumanka and St. Petersburg State University.
If you are the winner or prize-winner of this intellectual competition and scored from 75 points and above, you don’t have to worry about the grades for passing the exam. They don't matter now.
How the system works
There are different levels of Olympiads, there are three in total. Moreover, the assignment goes separately for each of the directions. What does it look like in practice? For example, the Lomonosov Olympiad takes place onthe number of directions is about two dozen. Of these, only fifteen have benefits of the first level, which implies the maximum prize - admission to any specialized university without competition.
The remaining five directions belong to the second of the levels. Under the terms of participation, the winner can add 100 points for the profile exam to his asset. The same rule applies to the third level Olympiad.
Which of the benefits an applicant is en titled to use is indicated in the admission rules of a particular university. Some of them provide by no means small benefits to winners of the 3rd level of the Olympiads. Others (like Moscow State University or MGIMO) pay attention only to the first-level Olympiads among the most prestigious ones.
How the list grows
In 2016, several new ones entered the list of school Olympiads. We can mention "Robofest", the school Olympiad of the University "Innopolis", programming competitions. Future managers, students of music colleges and many others also took part in the tournaments. This list also includes the school Internet Physics Olympiad, held by three St. Petersburg universities.
Not only graduates, but also younger students have the right to take part in such prestigious competitions. Their goal is not to provide themselves with benefits, but to make an attempt to test their own intellectual capabilities.
About changes
The All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren stands apart. Its organizer is the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, and the participants are over 6 million students. ATit is not included in the general list, but the results of passing the levels of the All-Russian Olympiad for schoolchildren are valid for admission to any university without exception. These competitions are a real chance for talented and hardworking children from any region. Winners of school competitions are admitted to the municipal level of the Olympiad. Here the selection is much tougher.
Since 2014, by Order No. 267 of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, a new Procedure has been introduced containing detailed information on the regulations for holding and approving the levels of Olympiads for schoolchildren. It does not apply only to the All-Russian Olympiad. And therefore, all previous orders regarding the approval of the procedures for annual competitions, the criteria for classifying them as one or another level, samples of diplomas of prize-winners and winners are no longer relevant. They have lost their power.
What is contained in the new Order?
He defines, in particular, the timing and purpose of each of the Olympiads. They are organized to develop and identify among students the interest and abilities for creativity and scientific activity. Other important goals of such events are the promotion of knowledge and professional orientation of schoolchildren.
The dates are set within the academic year from September to March inclusive. Each of the Olympiads consists of at least two stages. The final examination is allowed only in person. Any cash payments or fees for participation in competitions are strictly prohibited.
Who organizes them
The organizers of the Olympiad can befederal authorities in charge of management in the field of education, as well as authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, in addition, educational institutions implementing activities in accordance with educational programs of the highest level, scientific and government organizations, as well as any public organizations operating in the field of education.
All interested parties are involved in its implementation - from educational and methodological associations to the media. Analytical and expert support of the procedure for organizing each of the Olympiads is in charge of the RSOS - this is the short designation of the Russian Council of School Olympiads, formed by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.
Who can become a participant in the Olympiad?
Participation in these competitions is assumed exclusively on a voluntary basis, exists on an individual basis and involves the presence of students in all major educational programs - both secondary general and basic general education. Persons mastering educational standards on their own or on the basis of family education, as well as abroad, have the same right.
The All-Russian Olympiad, the levels of passage of which suggest the most massive coverage of participants, perhaps, gives the most real chance to everyone.
Each of the subsequent stages involves the participation of the winners and prize-winners of the previous one. Anyone who participated in the Olympiads in the previous academic year became a prize-winner or winner and continues to remain a schoolboy (or be at home or self-study),allowed this year to participate without passing the qualifying stage.
What is prohibited at the Olympiads?
During their conduct, none of the participants has the right to use any means of communication - electronic computers, any equipment (photo, video or audio), as well as reference materials, handwritten notes and any other means where information can be stored and transmitted. The exception concerns certain subjects included by the organizers of the Olympiad in the list of permitted and marked in the requirements and conditions of its holding.
Under another exception are special equipment of a technical nature for participants with the status of a person with disabilities (disabled, etc.). If a student violates this procedure, as well as any of the conditions and requirements related to the competition, the organizer has the full right to remove him from the audience with the annulment of all results obtained and deprivation of the right to further participation in the current year.
As winners and prize-winners of the entire Olympiad, those who became such at its final stage are recognized. They are awarded diplomas of the first, second and third degrees, respectively.
School Olympiad: Levels
Now let's move on to the most relevant issue for schoolchildren and their parents. What are the levels of school Olympiads, and by what criteria are they calculated? Determining factors include:
1. Number of subjects of the Russian Federation that nominated their representativesto participate in competitions. For the school Olympiad, each of them must submit participants in the amount of at least five.
2. The age of the competitors (the percentage of non-graduating students in relation to the total number is taken into account).
3. The levels of the Olympiads are also determined by the complexity of the tasks and their creative nature.
Let's take a closer look at the requirements for Olympiads of one level or another.
Level I
Subjects of the Russian Federation, the number of which must be at least 25, take part in such an Olympiad.
As for the age coverage of participants, this criterion has a threshold equal to 30% of non-graduating students in the general population.
Regarding the level of complexity and creative nature of the proposed tasks, the final stage must contain at least 50% of them. This applies to questions of a higher level of complexity. And there must be at least 70% original creative assignments.
Tier II
If we are talking about other levels of the Olympiad, then representatives of at least twelve constituent entities of the Russian Federation or two federal districts are required to take part in this one. At the same time, at least half of the participants must be represented from the regions that are part of each federal district.
25% or more of the number of competitors must be non-graduating students.
The level of complexity of tasks of the corresponding nature should be at least 40%. The volumecreative original tasks - half or more. All this also applies to the final stage.
Level III
In the degree of rigidity of the requirements, the levels of the Olympiads are arranged in descending order. In this case, at least six subjects of the Russian Federation are required to take part in the competition. Another threshold value of this criterion is half and more of the number of regions that are part of the federal district organizing the Olympiad.
The age of the participants of the Olympiad must meet the following criterion: a fifth or more (i.e., from 20%) of all who participate must study in a non-graduation class.
As for the level of complexity of the tasks, the final stage must contain them at least 30% of the total. The same volume is allocated to the mandatory original creative tasks.
A complete list of all 2016-2017 Olympiads, levels and conditions was approved by the Ministry for the current academic period until the date of September 1. The same procedure is followed annually. Citizens who have received accreditation as such in accordance with the regulations provided for by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation can work as observers at the Olympiads.
In addition, the new Procedure provides a detailed description of the samples on which diplomas for prize-winners and winners are made.
What are the criteria for selecting Olympiads to be included in the list?
There are many of them:
1. The organizer of the Olympiad conducts such competitions for two or more years preceding thein which the application is being made. If the Olympiad is proposed for inclusion in the list for the first time, the condition must be met not to include another profile of the Olympiad of the same organizer in the mentioned list over the previous three years.
2. If another profile of the Olympiad of the mentioned organizer was included in the list in the three-year previous period, then the organizer is obliged to hold it, respectively, for at least 1 year.
3. Assignments and tests at the Olympiads must be creative.
4. The persons listed in paragraph 15 of the Procedure must be provided with free access to participate in the event.
Other requirements
The official website of the organizer on the Internet must contain all the essential conditions and requirements regarding the conduct and organization of the competition. The tasks of the Olympiads of past years, detailed information about the winners and winners of last year's (at least) Olympiad should also be posted there.
The declared number of participants should not be less than 200 people. No more than 25% of the total number of participants can become winners and prize-winners at each stage of the Olympiad. Of these, there can be no more than 8% of those who took the first places.
The organizer of the Olympiad is obliged to have all the necessary resources for its implementation - methodological, personnel, organizational, material, economic and financial. The same requirement applies to experience in conducting similar events.
