Over 10 million take China's college entrance exam amid strict COVID-19 control measures

By K J M Varma

Beijing, Jul 7 () A total of 10.71 million Chinese students on Tuesday began taking the annual national college entrance examination, amid strict COVID-19 control measures and at exam centres across the country.

The exam, called Gaokao in Chinese, is known as the "single-log bridge" to a Chinese university and many examinees view it as a "life-or-death" moment and a prerequisite to securing a good job after graduation.

Every year security officials make elaborate arrangements to prevent cheating and impersonation during the tests.

This year's Gaokao, the most important event for Chinese students, has been delayed by one month due to the epidemic. More than 7,000 exam centres have been set up, with around 400,000 examination rooms, while 945,000 people work as invigilators or service providers.

According to the Ministry of Education, daily temperature checks and health monitoring of Gaokao candidates and staff began across the country 14 days before the exam. Emergency plans have also been drawn in flood-hit areas.

With the one-month delay, China has entered one of the hottest months and educational authorities have adopted measures to mitigate the impact of heat on students' performance.

In south China's Guangdong province, local educational authorities said air conditioners had been installed at all exam centres across the province this year for the 674,000 students, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Similar measures have also been taken in central China's Wuhan, a city formerly hit hard by the novel coronavirus, where about 59,000 students are taking Gaokao at 58 air-conditioned test centres.

In Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan province, 10 volunteer service stations have been set up across the city to provide students and parents with epidemic control information, psychological counselling, free rides to exam centres, and traffic guidance. KJV ZH