This year, for participation in external independent evaluation, almost 241 thousand. People, which is about 26 thousand. Less than last year, said the director of the Ukrainian Center for Assessing the Quality of Education Vadim Karandiy.

According to him, this is due to two main factors: demographic - a general decrease in the number of graduates, and administrative - the granting of the opportunity for applicants to enter universities on certificates of VNO not only in 2017 but also in 2016.

"The last factor is the most significant, because the main decrease in the number of participants in the UPE occurred precisely due to the reduction of graduates of the past years - this is about 15 thousand people," said Karandiy.

As for the choice of subjects, the most graduates will be texting the Ukrainian language and literature - 239 545 people. On the second and third steps - the history of Ukraine (182 219 people) and mathematics (113 113 people).

This year for school leavers VNO is a mandatory form of passing the state final certification in three subjects. Among them, the Ukrainian language is compulsory, the second subject had to be selected from the history of Ukraine and mathematics, and the third one - to choose.

Among other items, the popularity of biology, foreign languages ??and geography. The specified subjects this year will be accordingly 89 281, 73 588 and 6 896 graduates. And, conversely, the number of people who choose physics and chemistry is reduced - 26,491 and 24,811 graduates.

Recall that the first test of the UPE will be held on May 23: the participants will take the Ukrainian language and literature.

And the final testing of the main session will be ZNO on chemistry - it will be held on June 16.

According to the poll of the Democratic Initiatives Fund, the Ukrainian population stably supports the system of admission to higher education through external independent evaluation. In December 2016, 57% of respondents were positive about the system of external independent evaluation (in 2015, support was 52%), whereas 22% do not support this system (in 2015 - 25%).