Over 2.5 Million People Participate in National Civil Service Exam: What Do Young People Value in Pursuing Public Service Jobs?

On December 1, the written examination for the public subjects of the 2025 national civil service exam officially began. According to the State Administration of Civil Service, a total of 2.982 million candidates confirmed their registration before the exam, and 2.586 million actually participated, with a participation rate of approximately 86.7%. The ratio of candidates to available positions was about 65:1.

What do young people value when taking the civil service exam? What trends are emerging in this year’s recruitment and registration?

Outside the exam venue at the junior high school section of Lize Middle School Affiliated to Capital Normal University in Beijing on December 1, candidates were seizing the opportunity to review. Photo by Yi Haifei, China News Service.

What Matters Most in Taking the Civil Service Exam?

In the morning, after the administrative professional ability test, candidates for the national civil service exam gradually exited the examination room. Some hurried back to their hotels to review, while others flipped through materials while eating on the roadside, making final preparations for the afternoon essay exam.

Outside the exam venue, a candidate surnamed Zhang told China News that he applied for a position as a border police officer at the Yunnan Exit-Entry Frontier Inspection Station. As a recent graduate, this was his first time taking the national civil service exam, for which he had prepared for three years. After graduation, he hopes to have a stable job.

When asked about the hardships of being a border police officer, he said, “I’m still young and can endure hardships.” Influenced by his family, he has some understanding of the job responsibilities of border police officers and is also interested in it. “Border police officers are a solid force in safeguarding national territorial security. If I can get in, I hope to measure the country’s borders with my own legs and protect the people’s peaceful and happy lives.”

Candidate Cai shares the same sentiment about the civil service exam. Applying for a police position and wearing the navy blue police uniform is his career aspiration, which aligns well with his own conditions, so he has a clear direction in choosing a position.

“I have a down-to-earth personality, and under the influence of my family, I have a good understanding of the police profession. Besides, I majored in ideological and political education, so my political literacy is also guaranteed. Furthermore, many police officers are on the front lines of law enforcement, which requires strong pressure resistance and adaptability. I’m well-prepared for that. If I can successfully get in, I will take this job seriously.”

Recruitment Leaning Towards Grassroots and Fresh Graduates

The scale of recruitment and the number of registrants for the 2025 national civil service exam have both reached record highs. This year’s exam plans to recruit 39,700 people, of which 26,700 positions are specifically for fresh college graduates, and 27,500 positions are for county (district) level and below directly affiliated institutions, both accounting for nearly 70% of the total recruitment.

“In recent years, whether it’s the national or provincial civil service exams, recruitment has leaned towards grassroots positions. Additionally, a large number of recruitment plans targeting fresh graduates, especially fresh university graduates, is also a notable feature of this year’s exam,” said Li Manqing, an expert at Huatu Education Research Institute.

He also noted that in the past, college graduates had some concerns about taking grassroots positions, but now more and more graduates, especially those from first- and second-tier cities, are also starting to devote themselves to grassroots construction.

During the registration phase of this year’s exam, a total of 3.416 million candidates passed the qualification review, with a ratio of about 86:1 between the number of candidates passing the review and the number of available positions.

Li Manqing pointed out that the number of registrants for the national civil service exam exceeded 1.43 million in 2020, and this year it surpassed 3.4 million, marking a significant increase in just four years.

“Seize Every Opportunity”

Outside the exam venue, candidates and accompanying family members shared their employment outlooks with China News.

“There are gains and losses in exams. The national civil service exam is not the be-all and end-all. I will look at the result of this exam optimistically,” said Cai, who is taking the exam for the second time. If he doesn’t get in, he will use this exam to understand the current exam situation and prepare specifically for the upcoming provincial civil service exam.

Candidate Li said, “I will continue to take various exams in the future, but my career path is not limited to being a civil servant. Whether it’s taking the postgraduate entrance exam, the civil service exam, or applying for jobs in enterprises, I will seize every opportunity that comes my way.”

“Going back to work in my hometown is also a good choice,” said Mr. Zhang, who came to accompany his girlfriend. He and his girlfriend both hope to return to their hometown to work and are actively preparing for the national civil service exam and the selection exam for government officials. On one hand, they will be closer to their parents, and on the other hand, the economic pressure is not as high as in first-tier cities.

Li Manqing noted that compared to the decline in the number of candidates taking the postgraduate entrance exam this year, the number of candidates taking the national civil service exam has further increased, indicating that the employment outlook of college students and young people in general still prioritizes finding a job.

“Meanwhile, we also advocate for diversification in employment. Employment doesn’t necessarily mean entering the public sector. Working in enterprises or starting a business are also excellent choices. There’s no need for everyone to cross the same narrow bridge,” he said.