The high-stakes exam that defines a generation of Chinese students
In short: For millions of students in China, the Gaokao is more than just a test; it is a life-altering gateway to higher education. This annual, nationally-coordinated examination serves as a rigorous meritocratic filter, determining the academic future of graduating high school students across the country.
The Gaokao, or National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), has a complex history of political and social shifts. First held between August 15 and 17, 1952, the exam was later enhanced during the first Five Year Plan in 1953 and established as a fundamental policy in 1959. However, the system has faced significant disruptions. During the Great Leap Forward, unified recruitment was replaced by individual institutional recruitment, and in July 1966, the Gaokao was officially canceled. This led to a decade where students were selected by revolutionary committees or sent to work as farmers during the Down to the Countryside Movement, which involved approximately 17 million young people.
The examination was officially reinstated in late 1977 by Deng Xiaoping, marking a return to academic-based selection. Since then, the Gaokao has become a symbol of meritocracy, reflecting deep-seated cultural values rooted in the ancient imperial examination system. The scale of the exam has grown alongside China's higher education sector; the number of higher education institutes rose from 1,071 in 1999 to 2,740 by 2020.
The exam's structure is subject to ongoing reform. While traditional formats involved choosing between 'art' or 'science' tracks, a multi-phased reform announced in 2014 is slated for completion by 2025. This includes the gradual removal of extra points for ethnic minorities and extracurricular achievements across five groups of provinces. The exam's intensity is reflected in the data: in 2022, a record 11.93 million students registered for the exam, a significant increase from the 10.82 million who registered in 2021.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Gaokao
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