Almost 1,000 students admitted to state universities in 2013 lost their budget-funded place as a result of a contest held last year. The vacated places were offered to students admitted on a contract basis, who managed to get a better academic standing.

Deputy Minister of Education Loretta Handrabura has told IPN that this contest was staged for the first time for students who completed the first year of studies in 2014. More than 4,500 students studying on a contract basis applied for the over 5,600 budget-funded places available at the contest. As a result, 945 students got a budget-funded place, which is 16% of all the places of the kind.

The contest was held in 14 state universities. It didn’t cover private institutions or state institutions without contract-based places. Loretta Handrabura said that in the future this practice could be extended to cover the colleges and vocational schools. “Competition must exist and encourage performance,” she said, adding that the students who manage to obtain a budget-funded place should appreciate this opportunity and should make effort to maintain the accomplishments.

The contest involves the budget-funded places in state higher education institutions, except for the places intended for orphans and invalids of the first and second disability degrees. It is held annually after the summer session.