China sees report 7.7 million candidates for 200,000 authorities jobs

A report variety of folks in China took the civil service examination this yr, as unemployment amongst younger folks soared.

In keeping with CNBC evaluation of state media experiences, 7.7 million folks took the civil service examination within the 2023 utility spherical, vying for greater than 200,000 authorities jobs on the nationwide and provincial degree.

Authorities jobs are sometimes thought to be secure and prestigious in China. GDP progress has slowed from its fast tempo of the previous many years.

The curiosity in authorities jobs comes as Xi Jinping final week cemented his place as China’s chief for an unprecedented third time period.

Xi sees unity underneath the ruling Chinese language Communist Social gathering as important for increase the nation. That is meant the get together has and is ready to extend its presence within the economic system, together with amongst companies that aren’t state-owned.

Learning “Xi thought” is a rising requirement for colleges in China.

For tens of millions of people that need a authorities job, they need to take China’s civil service examination — which begins with questions on Xi’s report back to the get together’s congress and Xi thought in a multiple-choice part.

This is a pattern query, from Gongkaotong, which sells check preparation questions for the civil service examination:

The written examination consists of two elements: a 120-minute multiple-choice part on “administrative skilled capability” and a 180-minute essay writing portion known as “shen lun,” translated to imply “developing and defending an argument.”

The executive check contains questions on the Report of the Nationwide Congress of the Communist Social gathering of China, and different guidelines and rules. The examination additionally assessments for language expertise, knowledge evaluation, quantitative strategies, “judgment and reasoning,” and “common sense judgment.”

The state expanded recruiting on the nationwide and provincial ranges by round 15% to 20%, a choice “aimed toward easing unemployment stress, notably for school graduates,” a state media report stated, citing Zhu Lijia, a professor on the get together’s Nationwide Academy of Governance.

About two-thirds of national-level civil servant positions throughout this spherical of testing have been solely open to new graduates, or those that graduated inside the final two years and unable to seek out employment, in keeping with state media.

China’s Ministry of Public Safety is the most important recruiter at a ministry degree, in keeping with a plan revealed by the Nationwide Civil Service Administration.

This is a listing of some open positions:

1. China’s Ministry of Public Safety: 39 positions
2. Ministry of International Affairs: 38 positions
3. Normal Workplace of the Chinese language Communist Social gathering: 26 entry-level positions. The division gives safety, medical care and secretary work for the highest management of the get together and authorities.
4. Our on-line world Administration of China: 20 positions, 12 of which is able to work on the Emergency Command Middle of Web Safety. The regulator oversees content material and has to authority to take away apps from app shops.

China’s Nationwide Civil Service Administration couldn’t be reached for remark regardless of a number of makes an attempt by CNBC.

China’s civil service examination has its roots in China’s imperial examination system courting again to the sixth century.

Beneath that system, students would take a number of ranges of assessments to earn authorities positions — it was thought-about a course of that gave everybody a good probability to maneuver up in social hierarchy.

The nation’s present examination system was adopted in 1993 and in 2005, it turned necessary for all entry-level authorities officers.

Nonetheless, Xi and different senior leaders didn’t have to take the civil service examination to achieve their present roles.

By legislation, solely “non-leadership civil servants under the senior employees member degree and different equal positions” are required to take the check, not senior leaders.

The president, vp, chairman of the Central Navy Fee and different high authorities positions in China are chosen by means of a course of during which nationwide delegates talk about and nominate one candidate for every function.

Xi gained an unprecedented third time period Friday by means of this course of.

At a provincial or decrease degree, heads of presidency might face at most one competing candidate for every function.

Authorities officers in China earn a really modest wage.

However they’re sometimes assured a job for all times with excessive social standing. Preferential remedy contains bonus pay at festivals, higher medical insurance coverage and a better pension allotment while not having to make private contributions.

Precise figures on pay stay a delicate matter.

The newest numbers reported by state media confirmed civil servants earned a median of 48,608 yuan ($6,979) a yr in 2012. The experiences additionally confirmed Xi obtained 136,620 yuan a yr in 2015.

For a tough comparability, the per capita wage earnings for city residents was 20,590 yuan in 2022, in keeping with official figures. Salaries range extensively in China by area and job kind.

Regardless of longer-term forecasts of a shrinking inhabitants and workforce, the variety of college graduates has climbed to report highs in the previous few years in China.

“From the angle of employment, there may be sure stress,” Premier Li Qiang stated Monday in his first press convention within the function, in keeping with a CNBC translation of the Chinese language.

“We are going to increase employment channels to assist younger folks notice their private worth by means of laborious work.”