Record 7.7 million applicants for 200,000 government jobs

A record number of people in China took the civil service exam this year as unemployment among young people soared.

According to a CNBC analysis of state media reports, 7.7 million people took the civil service exam in the 2023 application round, vying for more than 200,000 government jobs at the national and provincial levels.

Government jobs in China are generally considered stable and prestigious. GDP growth has slowed from the rapid pace of recent decades.

Interest in government jobs comes as Xi Jinping cemented his position as China’s leader for an unprecedented third term last week.

Xi sees unity among China’s ruling Communist Party as essential to building the country. That said, the party has and will increase its presence in business, including at non-state-owned companies.

The study of “Xi Thought” is a growing requirement for schools in China.

Millions of people aspiring to government jobs must take China’s civil service exam – which begins with questions about Xi’s report to the party congress and Xi’s thoughts in a multiple-choice section.

Here is a sample question from Gongkaotong: sells the exam preparation questions for the civil service exam:

The written exam consists of two parts: a 120-minute multiple-choice section on “Vocational Management Skills” and a 180-minute essay titled “Shen Lun,” which translates to “Constructing and Defending an Argument.”

The administrative test includes questions about Report of the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, and other rules and regulations. The exam also tests language skills, data analysis, quantitative methods, “judgment and reasoning” and “common sense judgment”.

The state expanded national and provincial recruitment by about 15 to 20 percent, a decision “aimed at alleviating the pressure of unemployment, especially for college graduates.” according to a state media reportciting Zhu Lijia, a professor at the party’s National Academy of Governance.

About two-thirds of civil service positions at the national level were open only to recent graduates or those who graduated within the past two years and were unable to find employment during this round of testing, according to state media.

The Chinese Ministry of Public Security is the largest ministry-level recruiter, according to a plan released by the National Public Service Administration.

Here is a list of some vacancies:

1. China’s Ministry of Public Security: 39 positions
2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 38 posts
3. Chinese Communist Party Headquarters: 26 entry positions. The department provides security, medical care, and secretarial work for the top leadership of the party and government.
4. Cyberspace Administration of China: 20 posts, 12 of which will work in the Emergency Command Center of Internet Security. The regulator monitors the content and has the power to remove apps from the app stores.

China’s National Civil Service Administration could not be reached for comment despite multiple attempts by CNBC.

The Chinese Civil Service Examination has its roots in China’s imperial examination system, which dates back to the 6th century.

Under this system, scholars would complete several levels of testing to obtain government posts—it was viewed as a process that gave everyone a fair chance to climb the social hierarchy.

The country’s current examination system was introduced in 1993 and became mandatory for all entry-level government officials in 2005.

However, Xi and other senior leaders were not required to take a civil service exam to maintain their current roles.

According to the law, only “non-senior officials below senior executive level and other equivalent positions” are required to take the test, not senior executives.

The president, vice president, chairman of the Central Military Commission and other senior government positions in China are selected through a process in which national delegates discuss and nominate a candidate for each role.

Xi won an unprecedented third term on Friday through the process.

For a rough comparison, the The per capita salary income of city residents was 20,590 yuan in 2022, according to official figures. Salaries in China vary greatly by region and type of job.

Despite longer-term projections of a shrinking population and labor force, the number of college graduates in China has risen to record highs in recent years.

“From an employment perspective, there is some pressure,” Premier Li Qiang said Monday at his first press conference in the role, according to a CNBC translation of the Chinese.

“We will expand employment opportunities to help young people realize their personal worth through hard work.”