250,000 men aged 25+ are studying in universities: the Verkhovna Rada is preparing to restrict deferments

In Ukraine, the right to defer mobilization for men aged 25 and older, due to their studies, may be restricted. The corresponding bill is already being prepared for its second reading in the Verkhovna Rada. This was announced by People's Deputy, head of the VR Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation, Serhiy Babak, on the air of the telethon, as reported by UNN.

Details

According to the People's Deputy, before the full-scale invasion, about 30,000 men aged 25+ were simultaneously studying in the vocational and higher education system. As of September 1, 2025, their number has increased to 250,000.

"As a state, we cannot, of course, restrict the right to education, but in the meantime, we will check how these people are actually studying. The State Service for Education Quality is already conducting a large number of inspections, which have resulted in the expulsion of almost 50,000 people who were not actually studying, but merely formally hiding in these educational institutions," the official emphasizes.

The inspections concerned not only students but also the management of educational institutions. According to the official, eight criminal cases have currently been opened regarding the mass enrollment of such individuals. The inspection materials have been handed over to the SBU, the National Police, and the Ministry of Education and Science. Decisions in these cases are pending.

"Control services always look at how they were enrolled, how the educational process took place, what learning outcomes were achieved, how they were recorded, and how these people studied. Therefore, of course, the management of these educational institutions also fell under this inspection. As far as I know, there are currently eight criminal cases, quite large, regarding the mass enrollment of such people in educational institutions," says Babak.

Currently, this issue is being considered in the Verkhovna Rada.

"A very large number of people are massively using this loophole in the legislation and entering higher education institutions not entirely for the purpose of studying, but rather to avoid mobilization. And this needs to be addressed. Currently, in the Verkhovna Rada, there is one of the bills in the Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, which, of course, cannot restrict the right to education, but can restrict the right to deferment. And one of these bills is just ready for its second reading and talks about how men aged 25 plus, who will enter higher education institutions or vocational pre-higher or professional education, will not have the right to deferment. This is quite radical, but it needs to be done if we are talking about the security of our country," Babak emphasized.

Recall

The Cabinet of Ministers adopted a resolution according to which students, postgraduate students, and lecturers will be granted a deferment for one semester of study, so during holidays there is a possibility that they may be mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Minister of Education Oksen Lisovyi assured that no mobilization of students, postgraduate students, or scientists who have the right to deferment is foreseen.