On November 25, 2012, a record of 1.2 million people took the annual national civil service exam in China. This year there are signs of a comeback after numbers fell in the year 2010 and 2011. About 1.5 million people registered for the exam and passed the qualification assessment.
The State Administration of Civil Service said that on Sunday, November 25, 2012, 1.12 million people took the exam. The exam was attempted by people who will be competing for 20,800 positions in more than 140 state level government agencies and their affiliated public institutions and local branches.
The number of applicants and people who appeared for the exam reached a new high in the year 2009, but then the figures dropped in the following two years. This year, a significant rise in the number of appearing candidates was noticed.
High pressure for employment, competition for jobs and the opportunity for a stable working life are the main reasons behind the demand for government positions. In the year 2013, China is expected to have about 7 million new college graduates, which is up from this year’s 6.8 million. This has made job competition even tougher. However, the administration has said that some positions, particularly in remote and poor areas have failed to attract applicants.
