China’s notorious university-entrance exam is changing
Weekly edition
Current topics
Current topics
World
World
Business & economics
Business & economics
Opinion
Opinion
In depth
In depth
Culture, history & society
Culture, history & society
Our A-to-Zs
Our A-to-Zs
undefined undefined
Subscribe to The Economist<br>Unlock unlimited access to all our award-winning journalism, subscriber-only podcasts and newsletters
Subscribe to The Economist<br>Unlock unlimited access to all our award-winning journalism, subscriber-only podcasts and newsletters
Subscribe
China | Fewer and smarter?<br>China’s notorious university-entrance exam is changing<br>Demography and AI are set to transform the gaokao<br>Share
Photograph: Getty Images
Jun 11th 2026|4 min read
ON JUNE 7TH millions of young Chinese stepped into exam halls to take the gaokao, China’s gruelling national university-entrance exam. The results will decide where they can study and thus the calibre of job opportunities that follow. For many, it will have been a once-in-a-lifetime shot to move up in Chinese society.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Fewer and smarter?”
From the June 13th 2026 edition<br>Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents<br>⇒Explore the edition
ShareReuse this content
More from China
In China ride-hailing work is a last resort for rural labourers<br>But now Shenzhen says it has too many of them
A dropout-turned-influencer shakes up Chinese science<br>Fraud is rampant—but his videos mean everyone is now talking about it
Nukes were off the agenda as Xi Jinping visited North Korea<br>China is wary of Russian influence and another Trump-Kim summit
Ma Ning will proudly represent China at the World Cup<br>The referee is succeeding where the men’s national team is not
Xi Jinping gives China’s crack scientists new jobs inside government<br>Tech rivalry is reshaping the ruling elite
China’s high-tech rise is leaving much of the country behind<br>That could make a starkly unequal country even more so
Get The Economist app on iOS or Android
The Economist
The Economist
The Economist Group
The Economist Group
Contact
Contact
Careers
Careers
To enhance your experience and ensure our website runs smoothly, we use cookies and similar technologies.<br>Manage cookies