China gaokao exam sees fewer students amid job market concerns

China's National Higher Education Entrance Examination, known as the gaokao, has seen a decrease in student participation for the second consecutive year. This year, 12.9 million students registered for the exam, a drop of 450,000 from the previous year, according to data released by the Ministry of Education. This decline is compounded by a challenging job market for university graduates, with youth unemployment exceeding 16% for those aged 16 to 24, and a record 12.7 million university graduates set to enter the labor market this summer. Analysts expect unemployment figures to worsen. The ministry also stated it would crack down on illegal activities related to the exam. More students are choosing vocational programs, which typically lead to full-time work, with Shanghai vocational colleges seeing a 15% increase in enrollments compared to three years ago. The overwhelming response to a job advertisement for shepherd positions, drawing millions of views and applications from diverse backgrounds, highlights the growing strains in the country's job market. The Ministry of Education has upgraded security measures for the exam to prevent cheating.