The 2025 gaokao, China's national college entrance exam, got underway Saturday morning amid nationwide efforts to support examinees.
While students concentrate on doing their best, authorities and communities nationwide have introduced a wide range of initiatives to ensure the exam is conducted safely and fairly for the 13.35 million candidates. In many places, artificial intelligence (AI) technology is introduced for this purpose.
On May 28, China's Ministry of Education announced strengthened security measures for the 2025 gaokao, emphasizing technological safeguards. Upgrades include stricter entry checks, enhanced screening for devices like phones and smartwatches, radio signal blocking at all exam sites, and the expanded use of intelligent surveillance and inspection systems to strengthen the exam security network.
Beyond technological safeguards, many regions have taken additional steps to create a calm and supportive exam environment for candidates. These include postponing entertainment shows, temporarily closing libraries, cultural centers, museums and sports venues, and adjusting government and business office hours.
To ease road traffic and ensure timely arrival, multiple cities have implemented tailored measures such as delaying office start hours and encouraging carpooling or public transit. Traffic police have set up priority lanes and are ready to escort students caught in traffic, ensuring every student reaches their exam site on time.
To shield students from adverse weather, many schools have set up rain-and-sun shelters, stocked umbrellas, and ensured first aid support with on-site medical staff. Inside exam rooms, air conditioning, silent fans and purified drinking water created a comfortable setting.
Multiple regions have provided conveniences for more than 14,000 examinees with disabilities, including the provision of exam papers in Braille for 16 candidates in 12 provincial-level regions.
These nationwide efforts reflect not only the logistical scale of the gaokao but also the deep societal importance attached to it. Behind every quiet exam room or smooth ride to a test center is a collective commitment to ensuring fairness, opportunity and hope for the future.
Since its reinstatement in 1977, the gaokao has become one of China's most powerful tools for the promotion of educational equity and social mobility. Rooted in a merit-based selection ethos, the exam allows students from families of all backgrounds to compete fairly. This standardized system ensures transparency and accountability in university admissions for a population of over 1.4 billion.
For many, the gaokao is a life-changing moment, a single chance to transform their future through determination and hard work. It has come to symbolize fairness, opportunity, and the belief that personal effort can change one's destiny.
2025 college entrance exam kicks off amid nationwide support
