The final interview in Russian is what admits 9th-graders to the OGE (the Russian 9th-grade state exam). It is an oral test at the student’s own school: about 15 minutes of conversation with an examiner, graded simply “pass” or “fail”. In 2027, according to the draft by FIPI (the Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements), it changes noticeably: three tasks instead of four.
Here is what was removed, what was added, when the interview takes place and how to prepare without unnecessary stress.
What has changed
- Three tasks instead of four: the detailed retelling of the text is removed. FIPI calls it a “purely reproductive” kind of speaking. Selective retelling stays — inside the new task 2.
- The former task 4 — a dialogue on everyday topics — is replaced by the new task 2: a conversation about the text just read. It has five questions instead of three and is worth up to 5 points.
- Together with the text, the student receives the fifth question of the conversation, so preparation time with the text grows from 2 to 5 minutes. Preparation for the monologue goes from 1 minute to 2. The total time per student stays at 15–16 minutes.
- Task 3 (the monologue) now states the requirement explicitly: no longer than 3 minutes and at least 10 sentences.
- The “factual accuracy of speech” criterion is no longer marked separately.
- The maximum score is 17 instead of 20.
Before and after
| What | 2026 | 2027 (draft) |
|---|---|---|
| Number of tasks | 4 | 3 |
| Detailed retelling | A separate task | Removed; selective retelling is part of task 2 |
| Dialogue | 3 questions on everyday topics | 5 questions about the text |
| Preparation time with the text | 2 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Preparation for the monologue | 1 minute | 2 minutes |
| Maximum score | 20 | 17 |
| Time per student | 15–16 minutes | 15–16 minutes |
How the interview works now
Task 1 is reading a text aloud. Task 2 is a conversation about that text: five questions, one of which involves selective retelling. Task 3 is a monologue on one of the topics offered. The correctness of speech is marked separately. According to the draft specification, points are split like this: reading up to 3, conversation up to 5, monologue up to 3, correctness of speech up to 6 — 17 in total.
The pass mark stays at 10 points, but now out of 17 rather than 20. There is less margin, so speech errors and a short monologue cost more. Before the interview, double-check the pass mark in the marking criteria of the approved demo version.
When the 2027 interview takes place
Under the official procedure for the 9th-grade state exams, the main date is the second Wednesday of February — 10 February in 2027. The extra dates are the second working Wednesday of March and the third Monday of April: 10 March and 19 April 2027.
The extra dates are for students who failed, who missed the main date for a valid, documented reason, or who could not finish the interview for a valid reason. The application is submitted at the student’s school no later than two weeks before the interview.
These dates follow the rule in the official procedure. Websites quoting other extra dates (3 May, for example) contradict that rule — check the Rosobrnadzor (federal education supervision service) page closer to winter.
How to practise at home
- Reading aloud — 2–3 minutes every day. Popular-science texts and articles about people and events work well. Watch intonation, pauses and stress; record yourself on a phone and listen back.
- Conversation about the text. After reading, have an adult ask five questions: what the text is about, what it says about a particular person or event, how you understand a phrase, whether you agree with the author and why. Answer in full sentences, not just “yes” or “no”.
- Selective retelling. Learn to find the relevant passage and retell just that — briefly and in your own words, without extra detail.
- A timed monologue: 2 minutes to prepare, then speak for up to 3 minutes. Count the sentences — there must be at least ten. A handy plan: introduction, two or three examples from life or books, conclusion.
- Correct speech. Pay attention to stress, word agreement and filler words — speech as a whole carries the most points.
- Every two or three weeks, run through the whole interview using the 2027 demo version — 15–16 minutes, just like the real thing.
What to do now
- Download the 2027 final interview materials from fipi.ru — they are in the OGE Russian archive — and read the marking criteria together with your child.
- If your child has been practising the old format, set the detailed retelling aside and switch to the conversation about the text.
- Put 10 February 2027 in your calendar and ask the school when applications are accepted.
- Start with 10–15 minutes of practice three times a week — for an oral test, regularity matters more than length.
Sources: “Planned changes to the OGE 2027 exam materials” and the final interview specification on the FIPI website; the rules on dates are on the Rosobrnadzor website (both in Russian).
This article is based on the documents published as of 22 October 2026.