[News Terms] 'Guokao' Attracts Youth Amid Unprecedented Employment Crisis

'Guokao (國考)' is a term that abbreviates China's national civil service examination, known as the 'National Civil Service Examination.'

China's civil service exams are divided into the 'Guokao,' which selects civil servants for the central government, and the provincial civil service exam called 'Shengkao (省考).' The provincial civil service exam is usually held at the provincial level and is referred to as Shengkao. Collectively, Guokao and Shengkao are called 'Gongkao (公考).'

Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Photo by Yonhap News

Both Guokao and Shengkao require candidates to be Chinese nationals and under 35 years old (up to 40 years old for those holding a master's or doctoral degree). Emphasis is placed on conduct and character, and candidates undergo ideological screening, including loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party and the state.

The Guokao announcement is typically made in mid-October each year, with applications closing at the end of October and the exam held on the fourth weekend of November. Interviews take place in January, and successful candidates are announced between February and March. The schedule for Shengkao varies by province, with Beijing and Shanghai conducting theirs earlier than other regions. Their timeline includes announcements in November, written exams in December, and interviews in February to March. Other provincial governments usually hold the Shengkao written exams in March or April. Exam subjects include Chinese politics, international relations, language, and essay writing, with specialized subjects for fields such as finance, security, and diplomacy.

According to the final results of the 2024 Guokao eligibility review announced recently by China's national civil service (administrative branch), 3,033,000 candidates passed the eligibility screening this year. Unlike South Korea, China first screens candidates for eligibility to take the national civil service exam for the following year, and only those who pass this screening can sit for the Guokao. The Chinese government plans to recruit 39,600 civil servants from among these candidates next year.

As China's economic slowdown continues, the number of new university graduates who completed their studies in June this year reached a record high of 11.58 million, intensifying job competition. The Guokao for last year, which was postponed due to COVID-19 and held in January this year, saw 2,597,700 applicants, resulting in a competition ratio of 70 to 1.

The average competition ratio for next year's civil service exam is expected to be about 77 to 1. Competition is even fiercer for civil servant positions in China's four major 'first-tier cities' (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen) and their surrounding areas. The Guangdong Provincial Tax Bureau was the most popular department with a competition ratio of 82 to 1, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regional officer position in Beijing recorded a competition ratio of 210 to 1. The highest competition ratio was for a first-level chief surveyor position in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, with an astonishing 3,572 to 1.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sparked public cynicism last year with his remark urging "young people to go to the countryside," which also reflects the government's lack of effective solutions. With youth unemployment reaching a record high of 21.3% in June and worsening employment difficulties, the Chinese government faces deepening concerns.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.