Nizhny Novgorod school students were asked to remove their belts during the Unified State Exam: reaction from the Ministry of Education

      On May 15, 2026, 11:11 AM Society Subscribers of the head of the "Safe Internet League," Ekaterina Mizulina, complained about searches during the trial Unified State Exam (USE) in Nizhny Novgorod. She reported this on her social media. According to 11th-grade students, at one of the exam venues (PPE), the organizers asked several students to remove their belts after the metal detector was triggered. The situation was addressed by the Minister of Education of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Mikhail Puchkov. He stated that the requirement to remove the belt is unlawful, and additional instructions will be provided to the organizers. The minister also mentioned that he himself took the USE this year as part of the "Taking the Exam Together. USE Together with Parents" campaign. According to him, the metal detector reacted to metallic elements on the shoes, but he was not asked to take them off.

      "To keep your belt or shoes on at the PPE, do you need to be a minister?! Any situation can be taken to absurdity," Puchkov wrote on his Max channel. He added that exam participants should avoid wearing clothing with a lot of metallic elements to prevent controversial situations. He emphasized that no one is immune to the metal detector being triggered by belts or fasteners, so both organizers and students should calmly respond to such cases. Puchkov also reminded that some exam participants try to deceive the system. As an example, he cited a case from last year when one graduate brought a phone to the exam, explaining the metal detector's signal as a belt buckle. Later, the student was caught with the prohibited item already in the classroom. According to the minister, such behavior is disrespectful to both the exam venue staff and the graduates who take the USE honestly. It was previously reported that exam organizers were prohibited from searching students. The NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.