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Students enroll in school on the first day of the nationwide college entrance exam, known as the gaokao, in Wuhan, China, on June 7, 2024.
CNN
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A record number of high school students in China are starting to take highly competitive exams that could determine their futures in a country struggling with an economic slowdown and dwindling opportunities for young graduates.
The two-day nationwide college entrance exam, known as the gaokao, is the world’s largest academic test and has been dubbed the “world’s toughest” by Chinese state media due to its high stakes, competition and intensity. Students put everything they’ve learned over 12 years into just a few tests that take less than two hours each.
More than 13.4 million candidates registered to take this year’s exam, beating last year’s record of 12.9 million and making it China’s largest-ever gaokao.
Chinese students study for years for the highly challenging exam, which includes subjects such as Chinese literature, mathematics, English, physics, chemistry, political science and history, as high scores are the only way to get into the country’s top universities.
Unlike American students who can retake the SAT, the vast majority of students are only able to take the rigorous test once.
Moreover, concerns about slowing economic growth in China and soaring youth unemployment are adding to the pressure on performance.
On Friday, the first day of exams, parents waited anxiously outside school gates after dropping their children off at exam centres. Many parents and teachers were dressed in red, the colour of victory in China, and some held sunflowers, which are considered auspicious for academic success.
Authorities deployed a series of measures to maintain order and stability around the exam venues.
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Students queue up for security checks outside their school on the first day of the Chinese gaokao (collaboration exam) in Bozhou, China, June 7, 2024.
In Beijing, traffic police were on the streets as early as 6 a.m. to smooth out and ease traffic around a school near the Summer Palace, a popular tourist attraction, according to state news agency Xinhua.
According to Xinhua News Agency, taxi dispatch centers in Shanghai began accepting reservations for test takers a week in advance.
Chinese social media was flooded with well-wishers and words of encouragement, with “gaokao” trending as a top search topic on X-like platform Weibo.
Many Chinese celebrities, and even international stars, have posted messages of good luck to the test-takers on social media.
British soccer legend David Beckham posted a congratulatory message on Weibo, where he boasts 10 million fans.
“To all the students taking their exams soon, I want to say ‘good luck’ – you’ve studied so hard! Powerful!” Beckham said in the video, incorporating a Chinese phrase that means gaining honor and success in an important exam.
