Moscow, September 29, 2024 – The Europe Today: Andrey Kutepov, a member of Russia’s Federation Council and head of the Committee on Economic Policy, has proposed a new initiative aimed at simplifying university admissions for women with children. The lawmaker suggested that female applicants who give birth within a year of applying for university should receive additional points in their exam results, TASS news agency reported earlier this week.
In a written proposal to Education Minister Valery Falkov, Kutepov stated, “Having children is proposed to be considered an individual achievement for which it is necessary to accrue the maximum number of additional points for the exam results.”
The measure, if adopted, would serve as a step towards increasing educational opportunities for women with children, as well as enhancing the status of families. Kutepov also emphasized that the initiative could support the nation’s birth rate and contribute to lowering abortion rates.
Recent government efforts to boost the birth rate include policies allowing female students with children to switch from self-funded education to state-subsidized options. Earlier this year, the Russian Education Ministry proposed a monthly social scholarship, equivalent to minimum wage, for university students with preschool-aged children.
