National IT Competency Validation System

History

2025

Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation published recommendations as part of an experiment to voluntarily confirm the competencies of software developers

On February 24, 2025, the Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation approved methodological recommendations on the interaction of the participants in the experiment aimed at providing Russian software developers with the opportunity to voluntarily confirm competencies.

As part of the experiment, programmers through a special digital platform can check their own level of ownership of various IT competencies. Developers, in particular, can pass tests and complete practical tasks. If they pass the tests successfully, they will receive a certificate confirming their knowledge and work skills. At the same time, employer companies, educational institutions and other organizations participating in the experiment will be able to choose a suitable programmer, as well as assess the level of professionalism of existing employees.

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Фото: Freepik

The recommendations prepared Ministry of Digital Development relate to the procedure for interaction of participants in the experiment in determining the organization responsible for creating and ensuring the functioning of the IT competencies confirmation platform. In addition, the participants in the experiment will interact to identify organizations that have confirmed their readiness to use IT competency certificates to determine internal personnel policy and when looking for candidates for vacant positions.

Software developers can participate in the experiment regardless of education level. A certificate confirming the skills of programmers will be sent to their personal account on the State Public services portal. The validity period of the document is one year. The experiment, the practical stage of which will begin on May 31, 2025, is being carried out as part of the new national project "Data Economics and Digital Transformation of the State."^[1]

Approval of the system launch by the Government of the Russian Federation

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin approved the launch of the National IT Competency Confirmation System by signing Decree No. 130 of February 11, 2025. The experiment to voluntarily confirm the qualifications of software developers will be held from February 14, 2025 to December 31, 2026.

According to the press service of the Russian government, as part of the experiment, they will create a special digital platform where IT specialists will be able to undergo testing for free and perform practical tasks to confirm their professional skills. After successfully passing the tests, the developers will receive certificates in their personal account on the public services portal with a validity period of one year.

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Фото: Russian Government

The Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of Russia has been appointed the coordinator of the experiment. The agency will develop an action plan for the experiment and provide its organizational, information and methodological support.

The Ministry of Digital Development should also ensure the possibility of connecting information systems to a single system of interdepartmental electronic interaction and other state information systems, including the federal state information system "Unified Identification and Authentication System."

The operator of the platform for confirming IT competencies will be selected on a competitive basis until March 31, 2025. The selection will be carried out by the Presidium of the Government Commission on Digital Development. The operator organization must have the necessary software and hardware, technological infrastructure and information technologies for the implementation of the experiment.

From March 31 to May 31, 2025, the operator will ensure the operability of all necessary technical means and infrastructure. Software developers will be able to start confirming their competencies through the platform from May 31, 2025.

The results of the experiment will be presented by the Ministry of Digital Development to the Russian government by January 29, 2027. The report should be coordinated with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Russia, which will take into account the results of the experiment when updating professional standards and developing qualification characteristics.^[2]

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