The National Multi-Subject Test for Ukrainian graduates has been taking place for several years in conditions of war, which affects preparation for the exam, the ability to get to the testing site on time, as well as the general psychological state of the participants. Under such circumstances, participation in the NMT for many children is associated with constant dependence on the security situation, displacements, air raids, and other circumstances that cannot be predicted in advance.
Despite the complexity of these conditions, the issue of responsibility for registration for the test remains important, since some participants, having signed up for the exam, ultimately do not come to it. In these conditions, a conversation has arisen again about whether Ukraine can introduce fines for missing the NMT in 2026 and how such an idea is influenced by the real circumstances in which graduates take the entrance exam.
What is known about the situation with NMT misses
The Director of the Ukrainian Center for Education Quality Assessment, Tetyana Vakulenko explained that there is no mechanism for financial punishment for failure to appear for testing in Ukraine. Despite this, the problem itself does not lose its urgency, since the organization of the NMT requires significant resources regardless of whether the participant comes to the exam.
This process involves the preparation of classrooms, technical support, staff work, logistics and other costs, which are calculated based on the number of registered persons. Because of this, an empty place at the testing point does not mean an abstract loss, but quite specific budget expenses that have already been set aside for the exam.
Official data from the UCEQA show that during the main sessions of 2025, 91.45% of registered participants showed up for testing. So, 8.55% of entrants missed the exam, that is, almost every tenth one.
The situation was much more complicated in the additional sessions. There, the attendance was 72.35%, and 27.65% of registered participants were absent. This figure means that almost every third person did not come to the exam.
The difference between the main and additional sessions shows that the problem of non-attendance is systemic and is most pronounced where organizers have to work in conditions of changed schedules, more complex logistics, and individual circumstances of participants.
Why free testing has a high price
The UCEQA draws attention to the fact that the word “free” in this situation refers only to the participant who does not pay for the test out of his own pocket. For the state, conducting the NMT is associated with real costs, which include the preparation of each workplace, the organization of a safe space for testing, technical support and coordination of the entire process.
Tetyana Vakulenko emphasized that in wartime, the reasons for non-appearance can be different and often objective. At the same time, according to her, some of such cases may indicate that not all participants realize the cost of organizing testing, which seems free to them. This assessment is not about condemning people who have encountered unforeseen circumstances, but about the need to take a more responsible approach to registering for the exam.
What is advised to applicants at the Assessment Center
UCQA urges applicants who know in advance that they will not be able to attend the test to cancel their registration in advance. Such a step allows for a more accurate planning of the number of places, the load on the testing points, and the amount of organizational costs.
In other words, the issue concerns not only the personal decision of an individual applicant, but also responsibility to the system that works for hundreds of thousands of participants. The more accurate the data on the real number of those who will take the NMT, the more effectively the state will be able to use resources.
Can fines be introduced in 2026
Currently, a financial penalty for missing the NMT in Ukraine is not provided for due to the lack of such a mechanism, so there is no reason to talk about fines already approved for 2026.
At the same time, the discussion itself about the cost of non-appearance for the budget indicates that the problem remains relevant. Until the state changes the rules, the key way to reduce losses remains the conscious attitude of the participants themselves to registration and participation in testing.
Therefore, the absence of fines does not cancel the consequences for the state. During the main sessions, almost every tenth person did not come, during the additional ones – almost every third, and each such absence means expenses that could have been avoided if registration had been canceled in a timely manner. Therefore, the issue is not reduced to punishing entrants, but to a responsible attitude to the procedure, which requires significant organizational and budgetary resources.
