The impact of the Unified State Exam on the educational potential of young people as a factor of economic development

The relevance of the study is due to the fact that the time that has passed since the introduction of the unified state exam has been enough for its negative consequences to become apparent. When evaluating any social experiment, it is necessary to understand its social cost and consequences for the development of the state. The purpose of this article is to describe the social cost of the unified state exam for society as a whole and for the development of the educational potential of young people, in particular, as a factor in economic development. The study uses the method of qualitative sociology, including narrative interviews and written traditions. Based on the analysis of informants’ transcripts, problematic aspects have been identified in the assessment of high school graduates using such a form of control as the Unified State Exam (USE). General trends in the state and development of young people’s educational potential have been revealed. The need to abolish this form of control, whose disadvantages are not comparable to its advantages, has been substantiated. The authors conclude that the introduction of the unified state exam as a form of certification in secondary schools has led to the destruction of the secondary education system itself. As a result, the volume of knowledge in basic subjects has been significantly reduced, and students are found to lack knowledge in subjects that they do not take the exam in. There is a growing trend of inadequate communication, and school graduates are unable to write and express their thoughts effectively. This lack of knowledge is common among school graduates who choose various professions for further education. Admission to universities based on the results of the Unified State Exam has undermined such an important process as career guidance. The majority of graduates are focused on the number of points that will allow them to enroll in any field of study. The growing practice of tutoring has led to corruption, created an economic burden on families with schoolchildren, it has increased the factor of social inequality for those who want to pursue higher education. All of this has led to the destruction of the educational potential of young people as a factor of economic development.