China’s civil service exam attracted over 1.58 million jobseekers, for 85,000 open roles
Over 1.58 million candidates across China sat for its civil service exam this year, vying for 85,000 jobs at ministries and state agencies.
The ratio of over 18 candidates per job posting made this year’s exam arguably the most competitive one since Beijing rolled out its open recruitment and hiring scheme in the early 2000s, wrote the Asia Times.
The test typically covers aptitudes such as language proficiency, document writing and policy analysis, as well as key Communist Party doctrines and paradigms like Xi Jinping’s thoughts on Socialism with Chinese characteristics.
On average, a civil servant could make 90,501 yuan (US$13,856) per year in 2019, a 6.8% year-on-year increase.
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Government jobs also come with perks such as free housing, medical insurance and high pension contributions by the government, making public sector roles more attractive than private sector jobs.
In November, a local district government recruitment programme attracted huge crowds, with some of the candidates there working for tech giants like Huawei and Tencent. These employees reportedly preferred the security, clear promotion path and regular working hours that government employment guarantees.
