Student and guardian regulations: What alterations does the mobilization draft law envision?

In an effort to curb potential abuses of deferment rights, the proposed law on mobilization is set to introduce significant changes affecting students and guardians, particularly concerning university enrollment and the guardianship of individuals with disabilities.

Fedir Venislavskyi, People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Member of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, and Representative of the President of Ukraine to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, made this statement at a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform. 

“We’re focused solely on preventing the current legislation being misused that has unfortunately occurred. Ukrainian citizens have been exploiting existing regulations, which grant them the ability to evade military service obligations under mobilization during wartime, citing various reasons, in particular under the guise of educational pursuits. Currently, there’s no cap on the number of advanced degrees one can obtain, allowing individuals to accrue multiple degrees as grounds for draft deferment. However, we intend to rectify this loophole by establishing a hierarchical structure for higher education, encompassing undergraduate, graduate, master’s, and postgraduate studies. Second, third, fourth, or subsequent degrees will no longer serve as valid grounds for draft deferment,” stated Fedir Venislavskyi.

Moreover, Venislavskyi highlighted concerns regarding the exploitation of guardianship arrangements, particularly in cases where multiple draft-eligible individuals are affiliated with a single incapacitated person. These arrangements have been manipulated to secure deferment, falsely claiming caretaker roles for persons with disabilities. Under the proposed changes, such arrangements would no longer serve as valid grounds for deferment unless the disability was acquired before a full-scale invasion, meeting strict medical criteria. The proposed amendments aim to enhance the effectiveness of mobilization efforts during times of martial law, potentially increasing the pool of eligible individuals for military service.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news