Over 140,000 Applicants Retaking Exams... Controversy Over Public Sector Recruitment Amid China’s Job Crisis

Written exam results invalidated after organized cheating detected
Suspicions of favoritism in teacher recruitment arise in Guangdong Province

More than 140,000 applicants are required to retake an exam after widespread cheating was uncovered during a public sector recruitment process in China.

Over 140,000 Applicants for 3,000 Posts... Fierce Competition for Public Sector Jobs in China

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According to state-run Xinhua News Agency on August 9, the Henan Provincial Human Resources and Social Security Department recently confirmed large-scale, organized cheating during the written exam for the “Sanzhiyifu” rural support program. As a result, authorities have declared all test scores invalid and will conduct a new written exam on August 22.

“Sanzhiyifu” is a program that dispatches university graduates to rural areas to work in education, healthcare, and other services. This year, Henan Province was set to hire only 3,082 people, but more than 140,000 applicants reportedly applied. Some candidates preparing for interviews expressed their frustration, saying that even examinees who did not participate in the cheating will now be forced to retake the exam.

Meanwhile, allegations of preferential treatment have arisen in teacher recruitment in Guangdong Province. Investigations revealed that at a school in Leizhou, the vice principal leaked the personal information of the top-ranked written test candidate to help the second-ranked candidate pass, and coerced the first-ranked candidate to withdraw from the rest of the recruitment process, including the interview.

On the same day in Foshan, Guangdong Province, concerns were also raised over the fairness of the teacher hiring process. Reports indicate that top performers on the written exam either failed the interview or did not attend, while a significant number of lower-ranked candidates were selected. As a result, education authorities suspended the recruitment and launched an investigation.

Severe Youth Employment Crisis in China... Civil Service Exam Competition Ratio Reaches 97:1

Job seekers attending a job fair held in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, northeastern China. Photo by AFP News Agency

Analysts point to China’s worsening youth employment crisis as the underlying reason for the ongoing controversies in public sector recruitment. This year, the country produced a record 12.7 million university graduates. Since 2022, more than 10 million college graduates have been entering the job market annually in China. Competition for jobs is only expected to intensify as unemployed graduates from previous years and overseas returnees join the ranks of job seekers.

In particular, an increasing number of young people prefer stable jobs, which has led to a surge of interest in civil service positions. Last year’s national civil service exam saw a record 3.7 million applicants, resulting in an average competition ratio of 97:1.

As public sector jobs attract ever more young aspirants, controversies continue over the fairness and transparency of the recruitment process. Researcher Chu Chaohui at the Chinese Academy of Education Sciences pointed out, “Lax hiring management at some institutions is creating a ‘grey area of power.’ To reduce similar controversies, the entire process—from announcement to written exam, interview, and final selection—must be conducted in a public and transparent manner.”

Meanwhile, the youth employment situation in China remains challenging. According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the urban unemployment rate among 16 to 24 year olds, excluding students, stood at 15.6% in May. This was down 0.7 percentage points from the previous month’s 16.3% and marked the lowest level in 11 months since June last year (14.5%). Nevertheless, the rate still exceeds 15%, indicating persistently high levels.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.