Record 7.7 million applicants for 200,000 government jobs

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

In accordance with CNBC evaluation of state media stories, 7.7 million individuals 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 considered steady 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 beneath the ruling Chinese language Communist Occasion as important for increase the nation. That is meant the get together has and is about to extend its presence within the economic system, together with amongst companies that aren’t state-owned.

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

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

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

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

The executive take a look at contains questions on the Report of the Nationwide Congress of the Communist Occasion of China, and different guidelines and laws. The examination additionally assessments for language abilities, information evaluation, quantitative strategies, “judgment and reasoning,” and “commonsense 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 get together’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 inside the final two years and unable to search out employment, in line with state media.

China’s Ministry of Public Safety is the largest recruiter at a ministry stage, in line with a plan printed by the Nationwide Civil Service Administration.

Here is an inventory of some open positions:

1. China’s Ministry of Public Safety: 39 positions
2. Ministry of Overseas Affairs: 38 positions
3. Basic Workplace of the Chinese language Communist Occasion: 26 entry-level positions. The division supplies safety, medical care and secretary work for the highest management of the get together and authorities.
4. Our on-line world Administration of China: 20 positions, 12 of which is able to work on the Emergency Command Heart 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 courting again to the sixth century.

Below that system, students would take a number of ranges of assessments 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 necessary 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 legislation, solely “non-leadership civil servants beneath the senior employees member stage and different equal positions” are required to take the take a look at, not senior leaders.

The president, vp, chairman of the Central Navy Fee and different prime authorities positions in China are chosen by means of a course of wherein nationwide delegates talk about and nominate one candidate for every position.

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

At a provincial or decrease stage, heads of presidency could 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 with no need to make private contributions.

Precise figures on pay stay a delicate subject.

The most recent numbers reported by state media confirmed civil servants earned a median 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 revenue for city residents was 20,590 yuan in 2022, in line with official figures. Salaries differ extensively in China by area and job kind.

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’s sure stress,” Premier Li Qiang mentioned Monday in his first press convention within the position, in line with a CNBC translation of the Chinese language.

“We’ll increase employment channels to assist younger individuals understand their private worth by means of laborious work.”