Latest news with #NationalCollegeEntranceExamination
News18
22-07-2025
- General
- News18
Drips To ‘Stay Focused' & More: All About Gao Kao, World's Toughest Exam — 10x Harder Than...
Gao Kao (National College Entrance Examination) is compulsory for any final-year high school student aiming to get into a Chinese university. Every June, life in China nearly comes to a standstill as millions of students appear for the Gao Kao, the national college entrance exam. Known to be one of the toughest exams in the world, it can shape a student's entire future. This year, over 13.35 million students appeared for Gao Kao, China's national college entrance exam, slightly fewer than the 13.42 million who took it last year. The scale of Gao Kao is staggering. By comparison, in India last year, around 16.9 lakh students appeared for the CBSE Class 12 exams, and approximately 12.58 lakh took the JEE Mains. This means the number of Gao Kao candidates is nearly ten times higher than those sitting for India's most competitive exams. What Is Gao Kao? The Gao Kao is China's national-level entrance test for college admissions. It is compulsory for any final-year high school student aiming to get into a Chinese university. Students have to list their preferred colleges before the exam. If they do not meet a college's required score, they are automatically considered for the next one on their list. There is no age limit or restriction on how many times one can attempt the exam. The test is spread over two to three days and lasts about nine hours in total. If a student doesn't qualify for any of the universities they listed, they must appear for the exam again in the following academic year. What Does The Exam Include? The paper's structure can differ across provinces, but usually it includes Chinese literature, Mathematics and a foreign language (mostly English). Students from science backgrounds take additional papers in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, while arts students write tests in History, Politics and Geography. Some candidates even opt for other foreign languages like French, German, Japanese, Russian or Spanish. The test combines multiple-choice and essay-style questions. The scores are combined into one final total. This score determines the student's eligibility for various universities. How Far Students Go To Prepare For Gao Kao The pressure surrounding Gao Kao is so intense that students are willing to go to extreme lengths to stay prepared. A recent Instagram video shows how some students are seen spending their entire days and nights inside classrooms. Meals are passed through school gates as they rarely leave the premises. In many schools, 12-hour study sessions are routine. They just get one day off a week, yet some students use that time to study even more. Some even take IV drips to stay alert, while female students take medication to delay their periods until the exam gets over. These intense scenes show how serious the exam is and how much students are willing to sacrifice for it. Some cities impose special traffic rules and halt construction near test sites to maintain silence. Students are offered free metro rides and taxi services to reach centres on time. At some centres, AI-powered cameras are installed to catch anything unusual and prevent cheating. Drones and other surveillance tools are also used. Criticism While Gao Kao is seen as a fair way to select students for university, it has also faced criticism. Many students deal with high levels of stress, anxiety and pressure while preparing for the exam. In many families, the exam decides not just a student's education but also their career and social status. Students from lower-income backgrounds often struggle more as they may not afford private coaching or extra classes. Some experts also say the exam focuses more on memorising information rather than overall learning or practical skills. One case that recently caught attention was that of Xiaokai, a student from Hunan province who scored 575 out of 750 in the exam. While this is a good score, his parents were unhappy because it may not qualify him for entry into one of China's prestigious '985" universities, a network of 39 elite institutions known for their academic excellence and competitive admissions. They cut off his financial support and locked him out of the house. Xiaokai later approached local media for help. He is now waiting for his final admission results. About the Author Buzz Staff A team of writers at bring you stories on what's creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture. News18's viral page features trending stories, videos, and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : China education viral news view comments Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: July 22, 2025, 10:00 IST News viral Drips To 'Stay Focused' & More: All About Gao Kao, World's Toughest Exam — 10x Harder Than... Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Straits Times
08-07-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Hyper-competitive classrooms feed the corporate world's narcissist pipeline
When schools prize individual achievement above all else, they shape future leaders who mistake domination for success. Chinese students preparing for the highly competitive National College Entrance Examination, also known as gaokao, in Fuyang, in Anhui province, on May 27. On Nov 14, 2024, South Korea fell silent. Construction sites stopped working, aircraft were rerouted from flight paths and businesses delayed opening. The entire nation held its breath for nine hours while more than 500,000 teenagers took the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSat). The state-administered Suneung, as it is known, determines their university placement and, by extension, their entire future. The pressure on students to succeed has created what experts call a 'life-defining moment', where performance in a single exam determines not just university choices, but job prospects and even marriage potential.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Time of India
Viral: Netizens are shocked over China's 'genius' way of preventing cheating in the famous Gaokao exams
Image credits: X/@SuperDuperCycle A driver's license test or a university examination, every kind of examination makes one anxious about their performance because of all the hard work and determination that they have dedicated towards it. While your own talent makes you able to clear the hurdles and reach the target, sometimes you might need an extra push. Mostly at this time, students turn to cheating. While it was through asking each other, now it's by asking AI. And it seems the Chinese government knew it well when it froze all AI tools during the world-famous gaokao exams. What are the Gaokao exams? Image credits: Getty Images Also known as the National College Entrance Examination, the Gaokao is China's extremely competitive standardized college entrance examination. Students study for this exam for years as it determines whether they will be able to attend the university and if yes, then which. Gaokao, which means high test in Chinese is held in June each year where students spend 10 hours taking the exam. It includes six subjects such as Mathematics, Chinese, a foreign language and three other subjects based on the student's educational and career goals. In 2025, around 13 million students appeared in the gaokao. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo But with such high competition and low acceptance rates, students might turn to cheating their way through the exam. Chinese government's 'genius' way of preventing cheating According to reports, the Chinese government adopted one of the most extreme anti-cheating methods this year. While facial recognition technology, metal detectors, drones and phone signal blockers were regularly being used in the schools, an even bigger step was taken by the government. When the students sat down to take the gaokao, some of the major AI platforms of the country froze some specific functions during the test hours. Meaning, that if the students tried to upload pictures of an exam question, they would receive a notification that the feature was not available at the moment. This included AI giants such as Tencent and DeepSeek, with the former explicitly stating the integrity of the exams as the reason for the unavailability of the features. Social media reactions Image credits: Getty Images Netizens have been positively and negatively amazed by the Chinese government's anti-cheating methods. "This is needed. I am doing master's in Europe, %60 of my classmates cheat continuously.' wrote an X user appreciating the step. Another suggested a much easier and less expensive alternative, writing, 'Or just take their phones?' 'A bold but necessary step. When 13 million students are fighting limited spots, even the smallest tech loophole could disrupt fairness. Respect to China for treating academic integrity seriously.' wrote a person on Instagram. 'Maybe China want their people to think? Unthinkable.🧠' commented another.
GMA Network
07-06-2025
- General
- GMA Network
Millions sit China's high-stakes university entrance exam
Students queue to enter a school during China's National College Entrance Examination (NCEE), known as ''gaokao,'' outside a high school in Beijing on June 7, 2025. (Photo by Adek Berry/AFP) BEIJING, China - Hopeful parents accompanied their teenage children to the gates of a busy Beijing test center on Saturday, among millions of high school students across China sitting their first day of the highly competitive university entrance exam. Nationwide, 13.35 million students have registered for the multi-subject "gaokao" series this year, according to the Ministry of Education, down from last year's record-high 13.42 million test takers. Outside the central Beijing secondary school, a proud parent who gave her name as Chen said "12 years of hard work have finally led to this moment" -- as she waved a fan in front of her daughter while the student reviewed her notes one last time before the test. "We know our kids have endured so much hardship," Chen told AFP, adding that she was not nervous. "I'm actually quite excited. I think my child is excellent, and I'm sure she will get the best score," she said. China's gaokao requires students to use all their knowledge acquired to this point, testing them on subjects including Chinese, English, mathematics, science and humanities. The exam results are critical for gaining admission to university -- and determining whether they will attend a prestigious or more modest institution. While teachers and staff offered students their support, holding up signs of encouragement, some test takers, dressed in school uniforms, appeared panicked, including a girl with tears in her eyes. "There's no need for us parents to add pressure. The children are already under a lot of it," said a woman named Wang, whose son had just entered the exam hall. Like many mothers, she wore a traditional Chinese qipao in hopes of bringing good luck. "I hope my son achieves immediate success and gets his name on the (list of high-scoring candidates)," Wang said with a smile. Higher education has expanded rapidly in China in recent decades as an economic boom pushed up living standards -- as well as parents' expectations for their children's careers. But the job market for young graduates remains daunting. As of April, 15.8 percent of people aged 16 to 24 living in urban areas were unemployed, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Due to this pressure, many Chinese students prepare for the gaokao from a young age, often with extra lessons after the regular school day. 'Safe gaokao' And every year education authorities are on guard against cheating and disruptions during the exam. This week, China's Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang called for a "safe gaokao", stressing the importance of a rigorous campaign against cheating. Areas around exam centers are closely guarded by police, with road lanes closed to traffic and several cities banning motorists from honking their horns so as not to disrupt the concentration of students. In some schools, facial recognition is even used to prevent fraud. While the university admission rate for gaokao test takers has exceeded 80-90 percent in recent years, many students disappointed with their results choose to repeat the exam. As there is no age limit for the test, some have become notorious for attempting the exam dozens of times, either after failing it or not getting into their top-choice university. One teacher at the Beijing school where parents saw off their children on Saturday estimated that only about 10 of the approximately 600 final-year students there would earn a place at one of the capital's top universities. Jiang, a final-year high school student who only gave one name, said he dreamt of attending a Beijing university, and was remaining calm shortly before his Chinese exam. "Even though the pressure is intense, it's actually quite fair," he told AFP. "I feel like all the preparations that needed to be made have been made, so there's really no point in being nervous now, right? "Whatever happens, happens. It's truly not something I can completely control." —Agence France-Presse
The Star
07-06-2025
- General
- The Star
Millions sit China's high-stakes university entrance exam
School staff welcome students as they enter a school during China's National College Entrance Examination, known as gaokao, outside a high school in Beijing on June 7, 2025. - AFP BEIJING: Hopeful parents accompanied their teenage children to the gates of a busy Beijing test centre on Saturday (June 7), among millions of high school students across China sitting their first day of the highly competitive university entrance exam. Nationwide, 13.35 million students have registered for the multi-subject "gaokao" series this year, according to the Ministry of Education, down from last year's record-high 13.42 million test takers. Outside the central Beijing secondary school, a proud parent who gave her name as Chen said "12 years of hard work have finally led to this moment" - as she waved a fan in front of her daughter while the student reviewed her notes one last time before the test. "We know our kids have endured so much hardship," Chen told AFP, adding that she was not nervous. "I'm actually quite excited. I think my child is excellent, and I'm sure she will get the best score," she said. China's gaokao requires students to use all their knowledge acquired to this point, testing them on subjects including Chinese, English, mathematics, science and humanities. The exam results are critical for gaining admission to university - and determining whether they will attend a prestigious or more modest institution. While teachers and staff offered students their support, holding up signs of encouragement, some test takers, dressed in school uniforms, appeared panicked, including a girl with tears in her eyes. "There's no need for us parents to add pressure. The children are already under a lot of it," said a woman named Wang, whose son had just entered the exam hall. Like many mothers, she wore a traditional Chinese qipao in hopes of bringing good luck. "I hope my son achieves immediate success and gets his name on the (list of high-scoring candidates)," Wang said with a smile. Higher education has expanded rapidly in China in recent decades as an economic boom pushed up living standards - as well as parents' expectations for their children's careers. But the job market for young graduates remains daunting. As of April, 15.8 per cent of people aged 16 to 24 living in urban areas were unemployed, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Due to this pressure, many Chinese students prepare for the gaokao from a young age, often with extra lessons after the regular school day. And every year education authorities are on guard against cheating and disruptions during the exam. This week, China's Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang called for a "safe gaokao", stressing the importance of a rigorous campaign against cheating. Areas around exam centres are closely guarded by police, with road lanes closed to traffic and several cities banning motorists from honking their horns so as not to disrupt the concentration of students. In some schools, facial recognition is even used to prevent fraud. While the university admission rate for gaokao test takers has exceeded 80-90 per cent in recent years, many students disappointed with their results choose to repeat the exam. As there is no age limit for the test, some have become notorious for attempting the exam dozens of times, either after failing it or not getting into their top-choice university. One teacher at the Beijing school where parents saw off their children on Saturday estimated that only about ten of the approximately 600 final-year students there would earn a place at one of the capital's top universities. Jiang, a final-year high school student who only gave one name, said he dreamt of attending a Beijing university, and was remaining calm shortly before his Chinese exam. "Even though the pressure is intense, it's actually quite fair," he told AFP. "I feel like all the preparations that needed to be made have been made, so there's really no point in being nervous now, right? "Whatever happens, happens. It's truly not something I can completely control." - AFP
