In recent years, the sphere of higher education in Uzbekistan has been developing rapidly. In 2017, 77 higher educational institutions operated in the country, and today their number has reached 203. The student enrollment rate has also increased from 9% to 42%. In addition, the number of non-state higher educational institutions has increased, and now more than 170 thousand young people study at 69 non-state universities.

At the same time, the number of appeals from the population regarding certain procedures and restrictions related to the sphere has also increased. In particular, citizens are expressing dissatisfaction with the limited opportunity to study simultaneously at state and non-state universities - for example, in full-time and distance learning or evening and correspondence forms.

In order to clarify this issue, the Chairman of the Senate Committee of the Oliy Majlis on Science, Education and Healthcare, Bakhrom Abdullayev, sent a senator's inquiry to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Kongratbay Sharipov.

In his inquiry, the senator criticized the current procedures, in particular, the fact that, according to the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 393 of June 20, 2017, an applicant submits documents only to one university, and a student who has registered once in the HEMIS system cannot re-register to another institution. It is said that this situation limits young people's desire to study in several areas.

The senator noted that in the experience of foreign countries - in particular, the USA, European countries, Russia, and Kazakhstan - students have the opportunity to study at several universities simultaneously and obtain two or more diplomas.

In this regard, Senator Sharipov emphasized the need to clarify these restrictions and to review the possibility of citizens studying simultaneously at two universities from a legislative point of view.