S.A. Trapeznikov, Ph.D.
A.V. Gurvich, associate professor, Ph.D.
Military Institute of Physical Culture, St. Petersburg

Key words: physical training, higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation, conscripts.

Relevance. The state of physical fitness of graduates of higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation is assessed in terms of their physical readiness to perform educational and military tasks whilst serving in the Armed Forces of the RF.

The task of the conducted research was to study the problem of activity of universities with regard to training of healthy, physically strong, highly functional graduates for further work and service in the Armed Forces.

The purpose of the study was to analyze the state of physical fitness of graduates of higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation.

Materials and methods. The research methods were as follows: analysis of the directive documents of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, open access theses and scientific researches conducted in the Armed Forces of the RF; mathematical data processing; statistical analysis.

Results and discussion. We carried out the statistical data processing with the subsequent analysis of the obtained results on the state of physical fitness and sport readiness of the younger generation - graduates of higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation.

From April 1^st through July 15^th, 2013, the spring call-up for the Armed Forces of the total of 153.2 thousand people was held in the Russian Federation [1], and from October 1^st through December 31^st the autumn call-up of more than 150 thousand people took place [2]. On the basis of the data presented by the specialists in physical training within the system of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the number of conscripts of 2013 spring and autumn call-ups, who had higher education, amounted to 11348 people.

The findings of the conducted statistical analysis, presented in Table 1, suggest that the state of physical fitness of the younger generation - graduates of higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation - is highly unsatisfactory.

Based on the analysis results, only 43.7% out of the 11248 thousand conscripts were rated positively, and 53.8% - had unsatisfactory level of physical fitness, moreover, 2.2% were relieved of the examination for medical reasons (Table 1) [3].

 Table 1. Level of physical fitness of the younger generation of 2013 spring and autumn call-ups – graduates of higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation

The results of the analysis of the level of sport readiness of the given contingent are of particular concern. The number of army conscripts - graduates of higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation, who used to go in for sport before the call-up and had a sport category, amounts only to 12.5%, while 86.6% have no category at all (Table 2) [3].

Table 2. Level of sport readiness of the younger generation of 2013 spring and autumn call-ups – graduates of higher educational institutions of the RF

The analysis of the information on the graduates of higher educational institutions, who were engaged in different sports but had no sport categories, indicates the lack of properly organized sports (department) training in higher educational institutions. Thus, 63% of the contingent were not involved in sport.

Тable 3. Number of conscripts of the 2013 spring and autumn call-ups – graduates of higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation, who were engaged in particular sport but had no sport category

Conclusions. The presented data are indicative of the unallowably low level of physical fitness and sport readiness of the graduates of higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation, who were called up in 2013, besides, its negative dynamics is marked, which continues to persist in all the categories of the young recruits (students of educational institutions, individuals who attend the Voluntary Associations for Assistance to Army, Air Force and Navy and military-patriotic clubs) [4], [5].

According to the attained results, the role of physical education is unacceptably lowered in higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation both by the students themselves, and by the management of higher educational institutions in its attitude towards this aspect of personality development. 

It is during the university studies when physical development and functional body systems of a youngster should be enhanced, motivation to the development of the vitally important mental qualities, individual characteristics and features should be formed, which, on the whole, should be reflected in the mental and physical reliability of a future specialist, the necessary level and stability of his professional working capacity and readiness to protect his native country.

Not enough attention was paid to the expected positive trends of the public authorities of the Russian Federation to enhance the role of physical culture, sport and physical education, including in the present educational system of the country.

In connection with the above, we consider it appropriate to make a detailed analysis with the subsequent real assessment of efficiency of physical training by the results of the annual report on the monitoring of the process of physical training of conscripts who have graduated from higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation.

Thus, the solution of the problem of inefficient functioning of higher educational institutions in respect of the issue of students’ physical fitness is not only an internal matter of the higher educational institution or an educational system, it is a state problem which is directly correlated with economic and military security of the country.

References

1. Spring draft – 2013 [Electronic resource]//URL: http://ria.ru/trend/callup_spring_30032013/ (date of access: 17.05.2014). (In Russian)
2. Gurvich A.V. Current level of physical and sports readiness of young men of military age in the Russian Federation. / A.V. Gurvich, V.P. Pankov, A.M. Silchuk, S.M. Silchuk, V.V. Yakovlev / Collected interuniversity scientific and methodological works "Physical culture and sport in professional education" / Ed. by Dr.Hab, prof. G. N. Blakhin and Dr.Hab, prof. V.A. Schyogolev. – St. Petersburg: PANI, 2014. (In Russian)
3. Gurvich, A.V. Results of work of educational institutions of the Russian Federation on physical training of graduates (according to research work carried out in the Armed forces of the Russian Federation "Young replenishment"). / A.V. Gurvich, V.P. Pankov, A.M. Silchuk, S.M. Silchuk / Collected papers based on the Proceedings of the II International scientific symposium "Physical culture, sports and tourism. Integration processes of science and practice". Part 1. – Orel State university – ESIC, 2014. (In Russian)
4. Annual monitoring of physical readiness of the military personnel called up for military service; candidates entering military educational institutions, graduates of military educational institutions and pre-university educational institutions of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation:  landmark report on research activity:  Code "Young replenishment" / Headed by B.V. Endaltsev; execut.:  S.A. Malashenko, O.B. Ektov, A.M. Androsov, E.B. Portsevskaya.  – St. Petersburg: MIPC MMA (VIFK VMedA), 2014. (In Russian).
5. Fall draft – 2013 [Electronic resource]//URL: http://ria.ru/trend/army_autumn_30092013/ (date of access: 17.05.2014). (In Russian)

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