The World's Toughest Exam: The Marathon That Determines the Lives of Chinese Students

05.11.2025 - 15:12

Source: https://onedio.com/haber/dunyanin-en-zor...

The Gaokao exam, the sole gateway to university in China, determines the lives of millions of students. Held every year in June, this exam, stretching beyond 10 hours, poses a significant challenge to students. It's not just academic knowledge that counts, but psychological resilience plays a significant role as well. The pressure from families, schools, and society piles onto the students' shoulders. Those who succeed step into a promising future, while those who fail embark on a difficult path of no return.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Let's take a closer look at this exam...

Gaokao is the national higher education entrance examination, literally translating to "high exam".

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Taking place annually in June, the examination spans across two days, lasting nearly 10 hours. Not only does it cover subjects like Mathematics and Chinese, but also foreign languages and, depending on the career aspirations of the students, fields such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Politics, and Geography. However, the level of difficulty far surpasses the high school curriculum.

Some of the Mathematics questions are even considered to be at university level. In 2024, out of the 13.4 million candidates who sat for the exam, only 40% managed to secure a university place. As for the most prestigious 'Project 211' universities, the acceptance rate is a mere 5%.

The preparation process for Gaokao often kicks off during the middle school years.

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On average, students are studying for 60 hours a week, with some even dropping out of school to focus on private tutoring. They are resorting to extreme measures such as enduring sleepless nights, getting IV drips to boost concentration, and timing birth control pills to avoid menstruation during exam periods.

The Gaokao is also synonymous with severe psychological pressures; it has been reported that a significant proportion of student suicides in Shenzhen are linked to exam stress. For many students, failure translates into low-income jobs, familial disappointment, and social ostracization.

The process of preparing for exams has virtually spawned an industry in China.

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Young graduates, known as Gaokao nannies, reside with students to assist them with their studies. However, their support does not extend to tasks such as cooking or cleaning; their primary purpose is to boost morale and motivation. To avoid wasting precious time on exam day, families are booking rooms in luxury hotels.

Even some hotels are offering specialized services under the name of 'success packages'. For transportation, special Gaokao taxis come into play. In some cities, these taxis are given priority on the roads on exam day, and some even offer free rides.

Extraordinary measures are being taken to prevent cheating during the Gaokao.

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Metal detectors, signal jammers, and even drones scanning exam halls are being employed. Even metal bra straps have been banned. Illegal cheating attempts can lead to imprisonment.

Despite these measures, some families are willing to pay millions of yuan to hire individuals to take the exam in their place using fake identities. When caught, both the student and the family face severe penalties.