More than a million Chinese chase 19,000 government jobs

[Fattyacids]

Candidates crowding outside the venue for the National Public Servant Exam at a university in Hefei, central China's Anhui province. (AFP)


Beijing — More than one million people took China's national civil service exam at the weekend in a modern version of an age-old rite, but faced huge odds against clinching one of the few government jobs available.

A total of 1.12 million took the National Public Servant Exam, according to figures from the State Administration of Civil Service figures. But only 19,000 positions were available, the state-run Global Times newspaper said, meaning that fewer than 1 in 50 candidates will be successful. The most competitive role was with the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, where 14,384 candidates were vying for just two jobs, it added.Domestic reports said it was so popular because the application process appeared to be less arduous than for other positions.

Government jobs are especially appealing to Chinese because they are seen as stable employment and bring with them a range of privileges, as well as the status of being an official. The benefits can include living allowances, pensions, health insurance and even property -- a valuable commodity in China's prolonged housing boom.

The current civil service test is a legacy of the ancient imperial examination known as the keju, introduced during the Sui Dynasty, which ruled from 580-618 AD, and often regarded as a key meritocratic element of the governing system.

Early forms of the examinations were largely based on Confucian texts. They were open only to boys who were able to complete their education, either because of family wealth or sponsorship by benefactors. The tests were only held every three years, and local officials would often present those who passed with a special banner to be hung at the entrance to their home, to ensure the success was remembered for generations.

Nonetheless many posters on Sina Weibo, a Chinese version of Twitter, ridiculed the candidates.

"This really is China's peculiar landscape", said one poster with the username "Law and its value".

"Do they really want to pass the test to 'serve the people'? No. They desperately hope to go and enjoy a privileged system of wages." Another said: "Every time (they take the test), they are in fact just competing to be able to take bribes and bend the law."

After the Communist Party came to power in 1949, employment in China's huge state apparatus was achieved largely through personal recommendation or graduation from state colleges.

But an open examination system was introduced in 1994 and later rolled out to include all new government jobs, amid growing public resentment over nepotism, official abuse and jobs being offered on the basis of loyalty to party ideology, rather than ability. There were seven million civil servants in China by the end of 2012, government figures show.

The annual exam includes an aptitude test and a written policy essay. Candidates who pass the written exam will then be subjected to a tough interview round.
Exams can be taken at different levels of government, but the annual National Public Servant Exam offers the best jobs with the state.

"Although the national civil service exam is more difficult than the provincial, I wanted to accumulate experience for other provincial exams," the Global Times quoted one candidate Liu Yue as saying.

The postgraduate was seeking one of two vacancies at the Tianjin Maritime Affairs Bureau -- alongside 800 other applicants.

More than a million Chinese chase 19,000 government jobs - Channel NewsAsia

 

[Nan Yang]

If you meet anyone in China's central government, you can rest assured you are speaking to a person who is not only exceptionally well educated and knowledgeable on a broad range of national issues but is in the top 1% of a pool of 1.5 billion people.

 

[scorpionx]

If you meet anyone in China's central government, you can rest assured you are speaking to a person who is not only exceptionally well educated and knowledgeable on a broad range of national issues but is in the top 1% of a pool of 1.5 billion people.

Then how do they manage to secure such posts?

 

[Srinivas]

10 lakhs people for 20,000 jobs that is a ratio of 50 people for one job, Here in India thousands will compete each other for a campus recruitment into top MNC's, and the ratio is far bigger than this.

 

[Dash]

If you meet anyone in China's central government, you can rest assured you are speaking to a person who is not only exceptionally well educated and knowledgeable on a broad range of national issues but is in the top 1% of a pool of 1.5 billion people.

In India its the same thing, but they get wasted by the politicians.

 

[Fattyacids]

10 lakhs people for 20,000 jobs that is a ratio of 50 people for one job, Here in India thousands will compete each other for a campus recruitment into top MNC's, and the ratio is far bigger than this.

LOL, your jealousy permeates thru the screen on anything abt China. Nothing new really, your typical brainless rant.

1) The thread is about civil service exams system in China

2) The appeal and ability of the civil service to attract the best talent.

I won't blame you though, in a country where civil service system are as incompetent and corrupt as the politicians, how would you know, what would you.

 

[xuxu1457]

1.5million people Signed up, but 0.4 million of them didn't join before the test

 

[scorpionx]

LOL, your jealousy permeates thru the screen. Nothing new really, your typical brainless rant.

1) The thread is about civil service exams system in China

2) The appeal and ability of the civil service to attract the best talent.

I won't blame you though, in a country where civil service system are as incompetent and corrupt as the politicians, how would you know, what would you.

Mate,He said nothing wrong.The ratio is much bigger in India as unemployment is a big issue.You are going hyper without any understanding.

 

[Fattyacids]

Mate,He said nothing wrong.The ratio is much bigger in India as unemployment is a big issue.You are going hyper without any understanding.

The content of this article isn't about the ratio, is it??

Maybe you don't know him well. kindly go to his profile page, just look at his last few posts in the chinese section today. It should give you a good idea.

 

[scorpionx]

The content of this article isn't about the ratio, is it??

Maybe you don't know him well. kindly go to his profile page, just look at his last few posts in the chinese section today. It should give you a good idea.

Ok,fair enough. If you are talking about the Liaoning ACC in SCS,to be honest even I could not help trolling after seeing the photo shopped picture .Anyways no issues then.

 

[neehar]

I won't blame you though, in a country where civil service system are as incompetent and corrupt as the politicians, how would you know, what would you.

about 6 lakh students apply for civil services in india every year for about 1000 posts thats 1:600 ratio.and the same civil servants also catch the corrupt politicians and civil servants in india.what is the pattern of examination in china?

 

[Contrarian]

We got it even worse..
Unemployement plus prestige of govt job makes for scary competition.

 

[Nan Yang]

Then how do they manage to secure such posts?

• Choosing the Nation's Leaders

Consider how it would be if a Western country could identify and assemble the 300 best, brightest, wisest, most educated and experienced people in the nation, men and women of great proportion whose depth and breadth of knowledge and ability were the envy of all. And consider this group selecting some to be their leaders - the Prime Minister, President, Cabinet members.

That's essentially how China does it. On what basis can we tell them their way is wrong? For Westerners to refer to this as a dictatorship is offensive and merely stupid.

In contradistinction to the West, China's system cannot produce incompetence at the top because in a population of 1.5 billion people there are just too many available candidates with stunningly impressive credentials.

In China's system, leaders and officials are evaluated and selected by their peers, not by the unqualified and uninformed 'man in the street'.

It is the only government system in the world that ensures competence at the top, because these people are evaluated on the basis of real credentials rather than public popularity or TV charisma.

Leaders are selected on the basis of true leadership, on their ability to bring together all factions, to create harmony and consensus on their realisable vision for the country, to wisely control and direct the military.

They have a firm understanding of the economy, of the nation, of society and its problems and the best way to meet them. They are not only admired and respected by their peers, but able to draw others to them in order to form that consensus and harmony that are so desirable and necessary for stability.

10 lakhs people for 20,000 jobs that is a ratio of 50 people for one job, Here in India thousands will compete each other for a campus recruitment into top MNC's, and the ratio is far bigger than this.

Yes India certainly has very talented people. But your government is chosen by election.

 

[Srinivas]

LOL, your jealousy permeates thru the screen on anything abt China. Nothing new really, your typical brainless rant.

1) The thread is about civil service exams system in China

2) The appeal and ability of the civil service to attract the best talent.

I won't blame you though, in a country where civil service system are as incompetent and corrupt as the politicians, how would you know, what would you.

Jealousy for what!!

Chinese are funny. How many of those 10 lakh people fit into elite category, not more than 20 to 30 thousands.

 

[tranquilium]

Then how do they manage to secure such posts?

National examination is the first step in the selection process. The qualified individuals from national examination will then be interviewed by representatives from the prospective posts.