Greek society has been hit by the economic crisis in an almost anthropological level (Madianos et al., 2011). Significant cuts have been made in every aspect of education at primary, secondary and tertiary sector (Smith, 2012). Currently, the governmental policy is to introduce a plan known as “Athena” for the amalgamation and closure of university departments (‘Athena’ reform, 2012). This policy is not without justification however because the 24 state universities and 16 higher technological institutions of Greece have their 66 campuses spread out all over the country. According to the Athena plan and in line with the suggestions of the OECD (2011), academic faculties in Greece with minimal staff or small numbers of students are to be cut or merged with others. 

In this context the government is reintroducing a previously abolished policy: students who fail to achieve a grade of 10 as a minimum in the 20 point grade scale of the university entrance examinations are excluded from state tertiary education. This measure is known in Greece as “the basis of 10” and students who do not pass it are excluded from universities and technological departments even if there are places available for them (Sotiropoulos, 2011). In this manner many faculties lose their students and are driven to closure. Although this policy has been hailed from a diverse mix of education stakeholders in Greece, there also voices arguing that the “basis  of 10” is seriously flawed when seen as a minimum standard of academic achievement. The current work investigates the social, economic, and educational aspects of the basis of 10. The Greek national examinations for university entrance are looked from a historical and comparative point of view and important aspects of the system are discussed. 

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