China's Gaokao 2025: 13.35 million students wrote national entrance exam for university admissions
China came to a standstill on Saturday as millions of anxious parents crowded around exam centres all over the country, with 13.35 million students taking a highly competitive national entrance exam that will determine their future.
The National Higher Education Entrance Examination, commonly known as Gaokao, determines eligibility for admission to Chinese universities. Official media reported that 13.35 million students took the exam all over China this year. However, it was less than last year's 13.42 million.
India's JEE Main vs China's Gaokao: Which exam is tougher?
Like every year, millions of parents cheered their children going into the exam centres with bouquets wishing them well and anxiously waited outside with goodies to greet them when they came out.
It is also an event during which police deploy drones and high-tech equipment to provide security and ensure the exam was held in a fair atmosphere without fraud.
To ensure smooth traffic for students, cities across China stepped up efforts with temporary traffic controls around test centres, keeping the roads clear and congestion at bay. For students facing travel difficulties, many cities rolled out free ride services.
Some exam halls installed AI-powered surveillance systems that can flag unusual behaviour and rule violations in real time, effectively eliminating any opportunity for cheating, state-run Xinhua reported.
Considering its importance, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang went on an inspection tour to a middle school in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, during which he emphasised the need to uphold fairness and ensure safety in the national examination.
'Since its reinstatement in 1977, Gaokao, the unified exam, has transformed millions of lives through merit-based selection,' the Xinhua report said, adding, 'As a powerful social equaliser, it reinforces the belief that with hard work and determination, any student can shape a successful future.' According to the latest available figures from the Ministry of Education, China's gross enrolment rate in higher education had surpassed 60 per cent by 2023, with more than 47 million students studying at colleges and universities that year.
Every year, over 12 million Chinese graduates enter the job market, which is steadily shrinking due to a slowdown in the economy.
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