Passing the unified state exams in Russia takes place in two “waves”: the early period takes place in the spring, in March-April, the main period takes place after the end of the academic year, in the last days of May and June. At the same time, some categories of test takers have the right to choose their own deadlines. And in order for the choice to be balanced, you need to understand all the advantages and disadvantages of taking exams early.
Who can take the Unified State Exam early
Those who have already fully mastered the school curriculum have the unconditional right to independently choose between the early and main wave of passing the Unified State Exam. This:
- graduates of previous years, regardless of the “statute of limitations” of the certificate (those who left school many years ago and last year’s graduates who want to improve their results have the right to take it early);
- graduates of technical schools, lyceums and schools who have already fully completed the course of secondary school.
In addition, some categories of eleventh graders also have the right to take the Unified State Exam without waiting for the end of the last school year. These include:
- graduates of evening schools who will go into military service this year;
- guys who, after graduating from school, leave for permanent residence in another country - regardless of whether we are talking about emigration or a student visa to continue their education at a foreign university or college;
- participants in all-Russian or international competitions, olympiads or competitions - if the duration of the competition or training camp coincides with the main stage of passing the Unified State Exam;
- eleventh graders who will be in sanatoriums and other medical institutions for treatment, health or rehabilitation programs in May-June;
- graduates of Russian schools located outside the borders of Russia - if they are located in territories with difficult climatic conditions.
In order to have the opportunity to take the Unified State Exam early, eleventh-graders must write an application addressed to the director of their school, indicating the reason.
The main advantages of passing the Unified State Exam early
There is a common myth that the Unified State Exam options for the early period are simpler than for the main period. This is not true; the level of difficulty of the options for all examinees of the current year is similar. However, some organizational features of the spring “wave” do allow some to achieve higher scores.
Fewer people - less nerves
The early period of passing the Unified State Exam is not comparable in mass to the main one. For example, in 2016 throughout Russia, 26 thousand people took exams ahead of schedule - and in the summer “wave” the number of examinees approached 700,000. As a result, not hundreds of extremely excited schoolchildren gather at exam reception centers in megacities - but only a few dozen people ( and in smaller settlements the number of “early-term workers” can go down to just a few). In addition, some graduates of previous years who applied to take the Unified State Exam may change their minds by the day of the exam and not appear for the test - as a result, in an audience designed for 15 people, there may end up being 6-8 test takers. Moreover, some of them will be adults, who usually perceive the exam more calmly than the average schoolchildren, “wound up” by numerous conversations that the Unified State Exam will decide their fate.
This makes the overall psychological situation during the exam much less nervous. And, as the experience of many graduates shows, the ability to calm down and concentrate while taking the Unified State Exam plays a decisive role. In addition, with a small number of applicants, the time for preliminary instruction and “organizational issues” is significantly reduced: printing and distributing assignments, checking the matching of barcodes, monitoring the completion of forms, etc. And this also reduces the “degree of excitement.”
Clear organization
Passing the Unified State Exam early is considered the official start of the examination campaign. At this time, only a few examination points operate in the regions, and great attention is paid to the organization of work in them. Therefore, despite the fact that it is during the early period that all procedural innovations are usually “tested out,” failures, technical problems and organizational violations are usually not encountered. And the likelihood of encountering, for example, a lack of additional forms or the absence of a clock in the classroom tends to zero.
Predictable microclimate in the classroom
Taking exams at the end of May and June poses another danger - on hot days the exam room can be very stuffy, and the direct rays of the summer sun can add to the discomfort. At the same time, exam organizers do not always agree to open windows. In the spring, during the heating season, the air temperature in the classroom is more predictable, and you can always dress “for the weather” so as not to freeze or sweat during the exam.
Quick check
During the early period of the Unified State Examination, the load on the experts checking the work is much lower - and, accordingly, the work is checked faster. It’s still not worth waiting for results the day after the exams - the official deadline for checking early work is usually 7-9 days, while scores can be published a couple of days before the deadline. During the main period, schoolchildren usually have to wait about two weeks for their Unified State Examination results.
Time to develop an admission strategy
Those who take the Unified State Exam ahead of schedule know exactly their results by the end of April - and they have another two months to analyze in detail their chances of admission to a particular university in their chosen field, “target” going to open days, and so on. And, even if the results turned out to be lower than expected, there is plenty of time to find a way out of the current situation.
In addition, graduating students who have failed their exams can spend the last two months of their school life very relaxed. While their classmates are diligently preparing for exams, writing samples and visiting tutors, they can go about their business with a sense of accomplishment.
Disadvantages of taking the Unified State Exam early
Less time to prepare
The main disadvantage of taking the Unified State Exam early is obvious: the earlier the exam date, the less time to prepare. This may be especially important for current year graduates - after all, some school course topics included in the Unified State Exam program may be studied in the fourth quarter of the last school year. In this case, you will have to get acquainted with them yourself, or with the help of a tutor.
The first “running-in” of changes in the Unified State Exam KIM
Testing and measuring materials for most subjects are undergoing changes, and the early period of passing the Unified State Exam is also the first presentation of all innovations “in combat conditions.” When preparing for the exams of the main period, examinees and their teachers use both demo versions of FIPI and published “after the fact” versions of early exams as “official guidelines”. Those taking the exam in the spring are deprived of this opportunity - they can only use the demo version as an example of a set of tasks. Therefore, the chances of encountering an unexpected task during the early period are much higher.
Less opportunity to prepare
Students taking exams in March-April do not have the opportunity to take part in trial exams, which usually take place at the very end of the school year. However, district education departments usually conduct practice exams at an earlier date - but most often this service is paid.
In addition, using online services for self-preparation for the Unified State Exam can also cause difficulties: when laying out options corresponding to the current year’s KIM, the owners of such services usually focus on the deadlines of the main period. And, if you are taking a subject in which major changes are expected this year, the chance that a month before the early exam you will be able to find a service with a sufficient number of “plausible” options that are well adapted to the current year’s exam is quite low.
Taking exams away from home
Since the number of people taking the Unified State Exam early is small, the number of examination points is also greatly reduced. For example, residents of all districts of a large (and geographically “scattered”) city can take the Unified State Exam in a given subject at only one point. And for those who live in remote or “problematic” areas of the city in terms of transport, this can be a serious disadvantage. Especially considering that exams in different subjects may take place in different places in the city, so the route and travel time will have to be calculated anew each time.
Every year, school graduates take state exams in late May and early June. This period is called the main period. The developers of the exams provided the opportunity to undergo state certification at a different time - an early period.
If you have objective reasons, then you have the right to sign up for an early appointment.
There are many stereotypes around this option for taking exams. We intend to dispel them, so we will tell you about the conditions and main characteristics regarding the early stage.
Criteria for early passing
Graduates can take the Unified State Exam early if there is a good reason. This includes situations that will occur during the main Unified State Examination:
- conscription;
- stay in medical organizations according to the recommendations of medical staff in order to carry out medical procedures of various kinds and nature;
- participation in domestic or international sports competitions, competitions, training camps or Olympiads;
- moving on a permanent basis or to continue studying at a foreign university abroad;
- evening education;
- training takes place outside the Russian Federation in another country with particularly difficult climatic conditions, but in a Russian educational institution.
An important condition is the fact that to confirm the above points, the educational institution must provide relevant supporting documents.
Who can submit early?
Young people who have mastered the school curriculum have the right to choose.
This is about:
- (both about those who graduated from school many years ago, and about those who received a certificate only a couple of years ago);
- children who have graduated from technical schools, lyceums, colleges and have the appropriate certification certificates.
And, of course, this opportunity applies to current eleventh-graders who have one of the above-mentioned reasons.
IMPORTANT: in order to obtain admission to take the state exam early, you need to write an application addressed to the director, indicating the circumstance and attaching a copy of the supporting document.
Time spending
Dates for early state tests are published annually in October-November. Typically the period begins in March and ends in early April.
For example, in 2018 the test took place from 21.03 to 11.04.
To find out your key dates, study the information on the website of the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements.
Difficulty of the exam
There is an opinion that the questions at the preliminary certification are simpler, because they involve graduates of previous school programs - those who have not taken any topics and have not encountered a certain format of tasks. And it is for this reason that many teenagers want to take part earlier.
This is the first and significant misconception. Perhaps a few years ago this was exactly the situation. However, now there is no doubt about the fairness of the collected options in the main and early periods. You just need to look at reviews and online assignment reviews.
The guys who have passed this stage admit that the questions compiled are quite complex. Most of the conditions seemed familiar, but even they were complicated in such a way that they caused difficulties. The high school students did not expect to see some tasks and found themselves unprepared for them. As a result, they failed the test and did not score the required minimum points. According to experienced teachers, there are even more complex questions than usual.
The main thing in successfully passing the state test is quality preparation. Graduates who choose to take the exam early should take into account their level of preparedness for the tests. It is better to allocate a couple more months for study, if possible. Otherwise, the pace of materials development should be accelerated.
The future of a teenager depends on the results of the Unified State Exam, so haste is inappropriate here. We strongly advise you to think carefully before making a decision in this matter.
Applications for early passing of the Unified State Exam in 2017 were accepted until February 1 (inclusive), and schoolchildren and graduates of previous years passed the first exam on March 23. This is two months earlier than the main stage. In order not to be late next year, the site talks about the deadlines, required documents and ways to obtain USE results.
Why before others?
Most often, graduates of previous years take the Unified State Exam early. They need an exam to enter a university. Currently, all Russian higher education institutions, when enrolling, are asked to provide Unified State Examination results, which are considered valid for four years following the year of passing the exam. In order to become one of those lucky ones who take exams earlier than others and enjoy the results a couple of months earlier, it is enough not to miss the application deadlines and collect all the necessary documents. But first things first.
I want to be one of the first! Can?
In order for everyone to take the exam, it was divided into three stages: early, main and additional.
Early delivery is designed mainly for graduates of previous years - those who want to improve their Unified State Exam results or those who graduated from school before the introduction of the Unified State Exam. This year's graduates can also take the exams ahead of schedule, but to do this, the school's pedagogical council must grant permission. You can get it if you have no academic debt and complete completion of the curriculum.
During the additional examination period from September 5 to 16, graduates who failed to score the minimum required points, that is, cross the threshold, in May - June can take the Unified State Exam in mathematics (basic level) or Russian language.
The main requirement that must not be forgotten is that the exam is taken once a year. The exception is current year graduates who have not passed the Unified State Exam in Russian language and mathematics (basic level). If you do not achieve the minimum scores in one of these subjects, you can retake it in an additional period. In the remaining subjects, if you fail, you will be able to try your hand only next year. .jpg)
The main thing is not to forget your passport
To pass early, schoolchildren submit an application to participate in the Unified State Exam to their school. Graduates of previous years must submit an application to participate in the Unified State Exam at the offices of the Moscow Regional Information Processing Center (RTSC). Documents you will need are a passport and an original education document.
The application must list the subjects in which you plan to take exams. For current year graduates, exams in Russian language and mathematics (at any of the two levels) are mandatory, the rest can be chosen independently (most often depending on the profile of the university).
A passport will be needed not only when submitting an application, but also for admission to the exam itself - the data will be checked against the list of participants, which is printed from the regional information system.
Regardless of when you take the exam, the application deadline is the same. This year, early Unified State Exams began on March 23 and will end on April 14. Applications had to be submitted before February 1, 2017 inclusive. After this date, only applications from those with valid reasons, such as illness, were considered. Applications close two weeks before the start of exams. .jpg)
The Unified State Exam is available to everyone
At the request of graduates of the Unified State Examination and the Unified State Examination, if there are sufficient grounds, it can be carried out ahead of schedule. To do this, it is necessary to successfully pass the intermediate certification at the time of passing the State Examination Test and have permission to take the State Examination Test. The procedure for admission to early passing of the State Examination Test varies for different categories of graduates.
9th grade graduates may be allowed to take the OGE early only if there are valid reasons supported by documents.
26. For students who are unable, for good reasons, confirmed by documents, to pass the State Examination within the time limits established in accordance with paragraphs 24 and 25 of this Procedure, the State Examination is carried out ahead of schedule, but no earlier than April 20, in the forms established by this Procedure. (clause 26)
Graduates of 11th grades may be allowed to take the Unified State Exam early if desired.
29. For students, the State Examination, at their request, can be carried out ahead of schedule, but not earlier than March 1, in the forms established by this Procedure. ()
Graduates of past years Those who have a certificate of completion of 11th grade, college graduates, or students who received unsatisfactory results according to the results of the State Examination of the previous year and left school with a certificate, take the Unified State Exam exclusively ahead of schedule or in additional terms.
For graduates of previous years, the Unified State Examination is carried out ahead of schedule, but not earlier than March 1, and (or) at additional dates for the Unified State Examination in the forms established by this Procedure.
Participation in exams for graduates of previous years at other times of the Unified State Examination is allowed only if they have valid reasons (illness or other circumstances confirmed by documents) and a corresponding decision of the State Examination Committee. ()
In 2019, the early period for the Unified State Exam is set from March 20 to April 10, for taking the Unified State Exam - from April 22 to May 14.
How to resolve the issue of passing the State Examination Examination early
9th grade students must additionally document that they cannot take exams during the main period for a good reason, such good reasons may be illness and the need to undergo a rehabilitation course during the main and additional period of the OGE, the family moving to a permanent place of residence in another country, and others exceptional cases. Graduates of the 9th grade who received unsatisfactory results based on the results of last year’s OGE and have a certificate with the results of the intermediate certification may be allowed to take the OGE early.
To pass the GIA early, 11th grade students need to write an application addressed to the school principal, indicating the reason. As a rule, the need to pass the Unified State Exam ahead of schedule arises:
- if in May-June they will be in sanatoriums and other medical institutions for treatment, health or rehabilitation programs;
- if graduates are participants in competitions, olympiads or competitions, and the period of competitions or training coincides with the deadline for passing the Unified State Exam in the main stream. Such competitions and olympiads can be both national and international;
- if eleventh graders plan to move to another country after graduation. Please note that the move may be associated not only with emigration, but also with plans to continue education on a student visa at a foreign university;
- if evening school graduates have to go to military service this year.
Advantages of taking the Unified State Exam early
The Unified State Exam options for the early stream are not easier than the options for the main stream. The difficulty level of all variants of the current year is similar. However
More time to choose a university
One of the main advantages of taking the Unified State Exam early is the additional time to make an important decision. Graduates who passed the Unified State Exam ahead of schedule already know their results by the end of April and can calculate their chances of admission to the chosen university. Open days and education fairs are suitable for this purpose. And if the exam results do not please the graduate, then the decision about where to enroll and what profession to choose will not have to be made in a hurry.
It is also important to reduce the pre-exam fuss. The last two months of study will not be as stressful as for other students taking the Unified State Exam in the main stream.
A more relaxed atmosphere during the exam
The first spring wave of those taking the Unified State Exam is incomparably smaller than the main wave. Thus, in 2017, 26.5 thousand people took part in early delivery, and 703 thousand in the main stream. Note, however, that in 2018 there were 41 thousand graduates in the early wave. But despite the fact that the number of early leavers has increased, they are still very few compared to the main stream. It’s easy to imagine the level of tension among the nervously excited graduates who gathered in such large numbers in the main stream. In this comparison, the early wave looks much calmer: in large cities, only a few dozen people can gather at examination centers, and in smaller populated areas - only a few. We should not forget about graduates from previous years who might have changed their minds and not appear for the exam in the early wave. In addition, since it is the graduates of previous years who make up the bulk of the early wave, the atmosphere in the classrooms is less tense, because due to their age they are more relaxed about exams. Being able to calm down during an exam is essential to achieving successful results. Also, a small number of people in the audience minimizes preliminary instruction: checking barcodes, monitoring the completion of forms, etc., which also reduces anxiety.
Good organization and comfortable conditions
In 2018, about 41 thousand people took the Unified State Exam early, mostly graduates from previous years. Since there were few test takers, only 245 exam sites were used. For a small number of examination points, special attention is paid to all organizational aspects. Therefore, in the early period there are practically no technical problems and organizational violations usually do not occur. There is also a low probability of encountering a shortage of additional forms or, for example, the absence of a clock in the classroom.
Many cities in Russia are characterized by a very changeable summer. Therefore, taking exams at the end of May and June may not be very comfortable physically. If it is a hot day during the exam, the classroom can become quite stuffy, and the organizers do not always agree to open the windows. In a cold summer, you may encounter the opposite situation - in June the heating has long been turned off, the classrooms are cold and the cold also makes it difficult to concentrate. In the spring, during the early period of taking the Unified State Exam, the temperature in the classroom is more predictable.
Quick check
Since fewer papers are checked during the early period of passing the Unified State Exam, experts complete the check faster. Typically, work is reviewed within 7-9 days, but scores may be published several days earlier. When submitted in the main stream, verification of work takes about two weeks.
Disadvantages of taking the Unified State Exam early
Less time to prepare
The main disadvantage of taking the Unified State Exam early is the shorter amount of preparation time compared to the main course. This will be the most important disadvantage for eleventh-graders who decide to take the Unified State Exam early. This is due to the fact that some school course topics included in the Unified State Exam program can be studied at the very end of the school year. Graduates will have to get to know them on their own.
Unexpected changes in the Unified State Exam KIM
As you know, the Unified State Exam options change every year. Since the early period is the first wave, new control and measurement materials are presented there. Teachers will have time to prepare graduates who will take the Unified State Exam in the main stream for the changes, focusing on the data published after early passing. Such data are demo versions of FIPI and options that were solved in the early round. Those planning to take the exam in the spring do not have this luxury and should be prepared for the unexpected.
It's harder to prepare
Graduates who take exams in the main stream first take trial Unified State Examinations, which take place at the end of the academic year. Due to the fact that the early wave of passing takes place in March-April, graduates who joined it are deprived of the opportunity to take trial exams. Sometimes you can find practice exams in regional education departments, but often such an exam turns out to be paid. Many students use online servers for preparation, but this method can also fail. Often, when laying out options, site owners focus on the deadlines for the main stream and do not have time to adapt CMMs to all the changes this year.
Territorial remoteness of the Unified State Examination
As we have already mentioned, the number of people taking the Unified State Exam early is small. Accordingly, much fewer exam points are organized. For comparison, in the early period in 2018, 245 examination points were organized, and in the main stream of 2017 - 4.5 thousand. This leads to the fact that residents of all districts of a territorially large city can take the Unified State Exam in one of the subjects at one point. For residents of remote areas this can be quite problematic.
Publication date:
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Who is allowed to take the Unified State Exam?
All graduates of educational institutions in Russia who have annual grades in all subjects of the curriculum for grades X-XI (XII) are not lower than satisfactory are allowed to pass the state final certification.
The decision whether or not to admit a student to state certification is made by the pedagogical council of the institution in which the educational process is carried out and is formalized by order.
To be admitted to the Unified State Exam since 2015, students must receive credit for the final essay, which must be written in December or no later than April of the current year. Graduates of previous years write a final essay if they wish.
All important information about the final essay is in the “Final essay for the Unified State Exam” section.
What tasks are found on the Unified State Exam?
Unified State Examination tasks are provided during the exam in the form of an individual package of CMMs (testing and measuring materials).
Projects of KIMs for the 2019 Unified State Exam in all subjects have been published on the website www.ege.edu.ru, which is the official portal of the Unified State Examination. You can get acquainted with them in the section of the FIPI (Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements) Unified State Examination website / Demo versions, specifications, codifiers. On the same site you can find demo versions of CMMs from previous years.
The demo version shows what the tasks on the Unified State Exam will be like, but does not reflect all elements of the content of the tasks. In order to clearly know which topics need to be reviewed before the exam, open the document called “Specification”. It lists all the relevant topics.
In addition, the “Demo version” section may contain applications with additional materials (for example, dictionaries of accents and paronyms for the Russian language exam). These apps will help you prepare for the exam because they contain material that may be particularly challenging.
All demo versions are in the section “Demo versions of CMMs for the Unified State Exam”.
What teaching aids should you use when preparing for the Unified State Exam?
You probably noticed that many publications bear the “Recommended by FIPI” stamp. In fact, the expert council of FIPI (Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements) has not reviewed or recommended any textbooks or manuals for many years. Use textbooks from reputable publishers and read recommendations on sites you trust.
It is best to use manuals on subjects from the Federal List, which is recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.
The FIPI website www.fipi.ru contains a Federal bank of test tasks, which includes materials that were used during the Unified State Examination in previous years in all general education subjects. Unfortunately, this section of the site also contains tasks in an outdated format.
The list of recommended publications is in the “Textbooks and Manuals” section.
What are the deadlines for the Unified State Examination?
The main dates for the Unified State Exam are May-June. In addition, in April, graduates can take the Unified State Exam early.
In February 2015, for the first time, the Unified State Examination in Russian language and geography will be held for persons who have already completed these courses. In addition, since 2015, additional deadlines for passing the Unified State Exam have been introduced in September for graduates who received an unsatisfactory result on the exam in May. Those who are dissatisfied with the results of the main period and are thinking about entering a university next year can also take the exam in September.
All dates are in the “Unified State Exam Calendar” section.
How many tasks are there in KIM?
All KIMs for one subject are standardized and contain the same number of tasks in the same thematic sequence. But the number of tasks in different subjects and the time for completing them do not match, for example, the 2015 Unified State Exam in the Russian language requires completing 25 tasks in 210 minutes.
You can get exact information about the number of tasks for each subject in the section “Demo versions of KIMs for the Unified State Exam”.
How long does it take to pass the Unified State Exam?
In general, the Unified State Examination in each subject lasts at least 180 minutes. In different years, the duration of the exam in certain subjects differed slightly (by 5-10 minutes). This depends on the structure of the exam task. The shortest exams - in basic mathematics, biology, geography and English - take three hours, the longest - in specialized mathematics, social studies, history, physics, computer science, literature - last almost four hours. The duration of the Unified State Examination for more than four hours is not allowed, since in this case a lunch break is required.
In all regions of the country, the Unified State Exam begins at 10:00 local time. The announced duration of the exam does not include the time allocated for preparatory activities (instructing USE participants, opening special delivery packages with exam materials, filling out registration fields on USE forms).
The duration of the Unified State Examination for each subject is determined in advance and is established by order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation annually.
The duration of the Unified State Exam in 2016 is now stated in the Projects of demo versions in the subjects:
Unified State Examination in mathematics basic 180 minutes (3 hours)
Unified State Examination in mathematics profile 235 minutes (3 hours 55 m)
Unified State Exam in Russian 210 minutes (3.5 hours)
Unified State Exam in Social Studies 235 minutes (3 hours 55 m)
Unified State Exam in Physics 235 minutes (3 hours 55 m)
Unified State Exam in History 235 minutes (3 hours 55 m)
Unified State Exam in Biology 180 minutes (3 hours)
Unified State Exam in Chemistry 210 minutes (3.5 hours)
Unified State Examination in computer science 235 minutes (3 hours 55 m)
Unified State Examination in Literature 235 minutes (3 hours 55 m)
Unified State Examination in Geography 180 minutes (3 hours)
Unified State Examination in Foreign Languages 180 minutes (3 hours)
Is it true that it is easier to pass the Unified State Exam early than at the main stage?
All KIMs are formed in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard for complete secondary general education and approved codifiers and specifications (see the section “Demonstration versions of KIMs for the Unified State Exam”). Options for KIMs in the early period are no easier and no more difficult than at the main stage of the exam. Since 2015, FIPI has been publishing one real version of the KIM for the early period, which makes it possible to assess the real complexity of the exam tasks. The content (general formulation of questions) and complexity of tasks in these CIMs do not differ from what is offered in the Demo version and in the exams in May-June.
Why are different CMMs needed in different time zones? Will my region have different quests than others?
All KIMs are formed in such a way as to ensure variability in the sets of individual examination tasks. In each time zone, a separate set of tasks is used for this, from which an individual version is formed for each student. KIMs, which are used in different regions of the country and in different time zones, may have noticeable differences from each other, sometimes even the wording of the tasks does not coincide (“in which words one letter N is missing” and ““ in which words are two letters NN missing”) . However, all KIMs are formed in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard of Complete Secondary General Education and approved codifiers and specifications, and all Unified State Exam tasks are similar to those offered in manuals and collections of standard options.
If I am a winner of the All-Russian Olympiad, is this taken into account when passing the Unified State Exam?
The diploma of the winner of the All-Russian Olympiad is equivalent to 100 points in the subject of the Olympiad. If you plan to enter a university in a specialty that corresponds to the profile of the Olympiad, you will be admitted without passing exams. If you enter a specialty that does not correspond to the profile of the Olympiad, then the diploma of the winner of the All-Russian Olympiad will be equal to 100 points for one entrance test corresponding to the subject of the Olympiad.
