College scholars searching for jobs at an even in Hangzhou, China. Consistent with CNBC research of state media studies, 7.7 million other people took the civil provider examination within the 2023 software spherical, vying for greater than 200,000 govt jobs on the nationwide and provincial point.
Qilai Shen | Corbis Ancient | Getty Photographs
A file choice of other people in China took the civil provider examination this 12 months, as unemployment amongst younger other people soared.
Consistent with CNBC research of state media studies, 7.7 million other people took the civil provider examination within the 2023 software spherical, vying for greater than 200,000 govt jobs on the nationwide and provincial point.
Govt jobs are most often considered strong and prestigious in China. GDP enlargement has slowed from its speedy tempo of the previous many years.
The passion in govt jobs comes as Xi Jinping ultimate week cemented his place as China’s chief for an exceptional 3rd time period.
Xi sees harmony beneath the ruling Chinese language Communist Celebration as crucial for increase the rustic. That is supposed the birthday party has and is ready to extend its presence within the financial system, together with amongst companies that aren’t state-owned.

Finding out “Xi concept” is a rising requirement for faculties in China.
For hundreds of thousands of people that need a central authority process, they should take China’s civil provider examination — which begins with questions about Xi’s report back to the birthday party’s congress and Xi concept in a multiple-choice phase.
Here is a pattern query, from Gongkaotong, which sells check preparation questions for the civil provider examination:
Xi Jinping’s concept on financial system is a very powerful a part of Xi Jinping’s concept on socialism with Chinese language traits within the new technology. Referring to Xi Jinping’s concept on financial system, how lots of the following statements are proper?
① Getting into a brand new building level is a historic orientation of China’s financial building
② Selling high quality building is a definite theme of China’s financial building
③Adhering to the brand new idea of building is the guideline of China’s financial building
④ Insisting on opening to the outdoor international is the primary driver for China’s financial building
⑤ Vigorously growing the producing trade and the actual financial system is the principle center of attention of China’s financial building
A. 2 pieces
B. 3 pieces
C. 4 pieces
D. 5 pieces
The written examination is composed of 2 portions: a 120-minute multiple-choice phase on “administrative skilled skill” and a 180-minute essay writing portion referred to as “shen lun,” translated to imply “developing and protecting a controversy.”
The executive check comprises questions at the Document of the Nationwide Congress of the Communist Celebration of China, and different regulations and laws. The examination additionally exams for language talents, knowledge research, quantitative strategies, “judgment and reasoning,” and “commonsense judgment.”
Choice for younger civil servants
The state expanded recruiting on the nationwide and provincial ranges by way of round 15% to twenty%, a call “aimed toward easing unemployment drive, specifically for school graduates,” a state media record stated, mentioning Zhu Lijia, a professor on the birthday party’s Nationwide Academy of Governance.
About two-thirds of national-level civil servant positions right through this spherical of checking out had been simplest open to new graduates, or those that graduated inside the ultimate two years and not able to search out employment, in keeping with state media.
Who is hiring?
China’s Ministry of Public Safety is the largest recruiter at a ministry point, in keeping with a plan printed by way of the Nationwide Civil Provider Management.
Here is a listing of a few open positions:
1. China’s Ministry of Public Safety: 39 positions
2. Ministry of International Affairs: 38 positions
3. Common Workplace of the Chinese language Communist Celebration: 26 entry-level positions. The dep. supplies safety, hospital therapy and secretary paintings for the highest management of the birthday party and govt.
4. Our on-line world Management of China: 20 positions, 12 of which is able to paintings on the Emergency Command Middle of Web Safety. The regulator oversees content material and has to authority to take away apps from app retail outlets.
China’s Nationwide Civil Provider Management may just no longer be reached for remark in spite of a number of makes an attempt by way of CNBC.
Senior leaders do not wish to check
China’s civil provider examination has its roots in China’s imperial exam device relationship again to the sixth century.
Underneath that device, students would take a number of ranges of exams to earn govt positions — it used to be thought to be a procedure that gave everybody an even probability to transport up in social hierarchy.
The rustic’s present examination device used to be followed in 1993 and in 2005, it turned into necessary for all entry-level govt officers.
Alternatively, Xi and different senior leaders didn’t wish to take the civil provider examination to realize their present roles.
By means of regulation, simplest “non-leadership civil servants under the senior team of workers member point and different similar positions” are required to take the check, no longer senior leaders.
The president, vice chairman, chairman of the Central Army Fee and different best govt positions in China are selected via a procedure during which nationwide delegates speak about and nominate one candidate for each and every position.
Xi won an exceptional 3rd time period Friday via this procedure.
At a provincial or decrease point, heads of presidency would possibly face at maximum one competing candidate for each and every position.
Safe employment
Govt officers in China earn an excessively modest wage.
However they’re most often assured a role for existence with prime social standing. Preferential remedy comprises bonus pay at fairs, higher health insurance and the next pension allotment with no need to make private contributions.
Precise figures on pay stay a delicate subject.
We can enlarge employment channels to assist younger other people understand their private price via onerous paintings.
The most recent numbers reported by way of state media confirmed civil servants earned a median of 48,608 yuan ($6,979) a 12 months in 2012. The studies additionally confirmed Xi gained 136,620 yuan a 12 months in 2015.
For a coarse comparability, the according to capita wage source of revenue for city citizens used to be 20,590 yuan in 2022, in keeping with professional figures. Salaries range broadly in China by way of area and process kind.
In spite of longer-term forecasts of a shrinking inhabitants and staff, the choice of college graduates has climbed to file highs in the previous couple of years in China.
“From the standpoint of employment, there’s positive drive,” Premier Li Qiang stated Monday in his first press convention within the position, in keeping with a CNBC translation of the Chinese language.
“We can enlarge employment channels to assist younger other people understand their private price via onerous paintings.”