Uzbek language exam made mandatory for all school graduates  

Graduates of schools in Uzbekistan where the language of instruction is not Uzbek will now be required to take a final exam in the state language. This was stated in the order issued by Minister of Preschool and School Education Hilola Umarova on April 22.

According to the amendments and additions made to the Regulation on the Final State Attestation of Students in General Secondary Education, the list, form, and timing of subjects included in the final attestation for graduating classes will be approved annually by the Ministry of Preschool and School Education. The state language has now been added as a mandatory subject for all schools where instruction is conducted in languages other than Uzbek.

As part of the final attestation process, 11th grade students will take exams in both mandatory and elective subjects. Graduates may choose their elective subjects based on the field they intend to pursue when applying to higher education institutions.

Students who hold a nationally or internationally recognized certificate in a foreign language or a general education subject will be exempt from the corresponding subject in the final certification process. The list of recognized national and international certificates will be approved by the Ministry of Preschool and School Education.

It should be recalled that this requirement was first announced in Order No. 65 of the Minister of Preschool and School Education, dated February 20, 2025, confirming that students whose language of instruction was not Uzbek would also be required to take an exam in the state language.