China's Civil Service Exam Applicants Top 3 Million Amid First Decline in Graduate School Applications in Eight Years

Chinese youth are increasingly prioritizing stable government jobs over postgraduate education, a significant shift underscored by recent data showing a surge in civil service exam applicants and a downturn in graduate school applications. Analyst Liqian Ren highlighted this evolving trend, stating, > "Number of people taking civil exams now exceed number of taking graduate school entrance tests. Not necessarily a long term trend China wants to have." This development signals a broader re-evaluation of career paths amidst ongoing economic uncertainties in the nation.

For the 2025 national civil servant exam, over 3.4 million individuals passed the qualification review, marking a record high for applicants. This figure represents a substantial increase, with some reports indicating a surge of over 400,000 applicants compared to the previous year. Competition for these roles is intense, with an average of 77 candidates vying for each of the approximately 39,600 available positions in 2024.

Conversely, applications for China's postgraduate entrance exam have seen a notable decline. The 2025 exam is projected to have 3.88 million applicants, a decrease of 500,000 from 2024's 4.38 million, and an 18.1% drop from the 2023 peak of 4.74 million. This marks the first significant downturn in graduate school applications after eight consecutive years of growth, signaling a cooling of the "Kaoyan" fervor.

Experts attribute this shift to China's challenging economic landscape, including high youth unemployment and instability in the private sector. The "iron rice bowl" appeal of civil service jobs, offering perceived lifetime stability and benefits, has become increasingly attractive to graduates. Many are opting for immediate employment in stable government roles rather than incurring further educational costs and facing uncertain job prospects post-graduate studies.

The growing preference for civil service roles reflects a strategic choice by young people to seek security amid a sluggish recovery and widespread layoffs in industries like technology and real estate. This trend raises questions about China's long-term innovation capacity and the development of a dynamic private sector. While the government has expanded civil servant recruitment, partly to alleviate graduate employment difficulties, the broader implications for talent allocation remain a subject of discussion among policymakers and economists.