Record 7.7 million applicants for 200,000 government jobs

A record number of people in China are taking civil service exams this year, as unemployment among young people rises.

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

Government jobs are usually considered stable and prestigious in China. GDP growth has slowed down over the past few decades.

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

Xi sees unity in the ruling Chinese Communist Party as essential to building the country. This means that the party has and will increase its presence in the economy, including among non-state-owned businesses.

Studying “Xi’s thinking” is a growing requirement for schools in China.

For millions of people who want to work in the government, they must take China’s civil service exam – which begins with questions about Xi’s report to the party congress and Xi’s thinking in the multiple-choice section.

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

The written exam consists of two parts: a 120-minute multiple-choice section on “administrative professional skills” and a 180-minute essay writing section called “shen lun,” which translates to “build and defend an argument.”

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

The country expanded recruitment at the national and provincial levels by 15% to 20%, a decision “to reduce the pressure of unemployment, especially for college graduates,” state media reports said, citing Zhu Lijia, a professor at the party’s National Academy. of Governance.

About two-thirds of civil service positions in this test round are only open to new graduates, or those who graduated within the past two years and are unable to find work, according to state media.

China’s Ministry of Public Security is the largest recruiter at the ministry level, according to plans published by the National Civil Service Administration.

Here is a list of some open positions:

1. Ministry of Public Security of China: 39 positions
2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 38 positions
3. General Office of the Communist Party of China: 26 entry-level positions. The department provides security, medical care and secretarial work for top party and government leaders.
4. Cyberspace Administration of China: 20 positions, 12 of which will work in the Internet Security Emergency Command Center. Regulators monitor content and have the authority to remove apps from app stores.

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

China’s civil service examination originates from the Chinese imperial examination system dating back to the 6th century.

Under the system, scholars would take several levels of tests to obtain government positions – this was considered a process that gave everyone the opportunity to advance in the social hierarchy.

The current state examination system was adopted in 1993 and in 2005, it became mandatory for all entry-level government officials.

However, Xi and other senior leaders did not need to take civil service exams to get their current roles.

According to the law, only “non-leadership civilian employees below the level of senior staff members and equivalent positions” are required to take the test, not senior leaders.

The president, vice president, chairman of the Central Military Commission and China’s top government positions are elected through a process in which national delegates discuss and nominate one candidate for each role.

Xi secured an unprecedented third term on Friday through this process.

At the provincial level or below, the head of government may face at least one competing candidate for each role.

Government officials in China earn low salaries.

But they are usually guaranteed a job for life with a high social status. Preferential treatment includes bonus pay at festivals, better health insurance and higher pensions without having to make personal contributions.

Exact figures on salaries remain a sensitive topic.

The latest numbers reported by state media show civil servants earned an average of 48,608 yuan ($6,979) a year in 2012. The report also shows Xi received 136,620 yuan a year in 2015.

For a rough comparison, the per capita salary income for urban residents will be 20,590 yuan in 2022, according to official figures. Salaries vary in China by region and job type.

Despite long-term forecasts of a shrinking population and workforce, the number of university graduates has risen to record highs in recent years in China.

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

“We will expand our workforce channels to help young people realize their personal worth through hard work.”