A document variety of folks in China took the civil service examination this 12 months, as unemployment amongst younger folks soared.

In line with CNBC evaluation of state media stories, 7.7 million folks took the civil service examination within the 2023 utility spherical, vying for greater than 200,000 authorities jobs on the nationwide and provincial stage.

Authorities jobs are usually thought to be secure and prestigious in China. GDP development has slowed from its speedy tempo of the previous many years.

The curiosity in authorities jobs comes as Xi Jinping final week cemented his place as China’s chief for an unprecedented third time period.

Xi sees unity underneath the ruling Chinese language Communist Celebration as important for increase the nation. That is meant the occasion has and is ready to extend its presence within the financial system, together with amongst companies that aren’t state-owned.

Finding out “Xi thought” is a rising requirement for faculties in China.

For tens of millions of people that desire a authorities job, they need to take China’s civil service examination — which begins with questions on Xi’s report back to the occasion’s congress and Xi thought in a multiple-choice part.

Here is a pattern query, from Gongkaotong, which sells check preparation questions for the civil service examination:

The written examination consists of two elements: a 120-minute multiple-choice part on “administrative skilled skill” and a 180-minute essay writing portion known as “shen lun,” translated to imply “setting up and defending an argument.”

The executive check contains questions on the Report of the Nationwide Congress of the Communist Celebration of China, and different guidelines and laws. The examination additionally checks for language abilities, information evaluation, quantitative strategies, “judgment and reasoning,” and “common sense judgment.”

The state expanded recruiting on the nationwide and provincial ranges by round 15% to twenty%, a choice “aimed toward easing unemployment stress, significantly for school graduates,” a state media report mentioned, citing Zhu Lijia, a professor on the occasion’s Nationwide Academy of Governance.

About two-thirds of national-level civil servant positions throughout this spherical of testing had been solely open to new graduates, or those that graduated throughout the final two years and unable to search out employment, in accordance with state media.

China’s Ministry of Public Safety is the most important recruiter at a ministry stage, in accordance with a plan revealed by the Nationwide Civil Service Administration.

Here is a listing of some open positions:

1. China’s Ministry of Public Safety: 39 positions
2. Ministry of International Affairs: 38 positions
3. Common Workplace of the Chinese language Communist Celebration: 26 entry-level positions. The division supplies safety, medical care and secretary work for the highest management of the occasion and authorities.
4. Our on-line world Administration of China: 20 positions, 12 of which can work on the Emergency Command Middle of Web Safety. The regulator oversees content material and has to authority to take away apps from app shops.

China’s Nationwide Civil Service Administration couldn’t be reached for remark regardless of a number of makes an attempt by CNBC.

China’s civil service examination has its roots in China’s imperial examination system relationship again to the sixth century.

Underneath that system, students would take a number of ranges of checks to earn authorities positions — it was thought of a course of that gave everybody a good probability to maneuver up in social hierarchy.

The nation’s present examination system was adopted in 1993 and in 2005, it grew to become obligatory for all entry-level authorities officers.

Nonetheless, Xi and different senior leaders didn’t must take the civil service examination to achieve their present roles.

By regulation, solely “non-leadership civil servants beneath the senior employees member stage and different equal positions” are required to take the check, not senior leaders.

The president, vice chairman, chairman of the Central Army Fee and different prime authorities positions in China are chosen via a course of during which nationwide delegates talk about and nominate one candidate for every position.

Xi gained an unprecedented third time period Friday via this course of.

At a provincial or decrease stage, heads of presidency might face at most one competing candidate for every position.

Authorities officers in China earn a really modest wage.

However they’re usually assured a job for all times with excessive social standing. Preferential therapy contains bonus pay at festivals, higher medical insurance coverage and a better pension allotment without having to make private contributions.

Actual figures on pay stay a delicate matter.

The newest numbers reported by state media confirmed civil servants earned a mean of 48,608 yuan ($6,979) a 12 months in 2012. The stories additionally confirmed Xi obtained 136,620 yuan a 12 months in 2015.

For a tough comparability, the per capita wage earnings for city residents was 20,590 yuan in 2022, in accordance with official figures. Salaries fluctuate extensively in China by area and job sort.

Regardless of longer-term forecasts of a shrinking inhabitants and workforce, the variety of college graduates has climbed to document highs in the previous few years in China.

“From the attitude of employment, there may be sure stress,” Premier Li Qiang mentioned Monday in his first press convention within the position, in accordance with a CNBC translation of the Chinese language.

“We’ll broaden employment channels to assist younger folks notice their private worth via onerous work.”