Nation Civil servant exam applicants increase 16 fold in 7 years 2009-Nov-3 14:11:29
A record high of 1.46 million people qualified to take the national civil servant exam for the year 2010. That was about 16 times the number of 87,000 people who qualified in 2003, according to xinhuanet.com.
Most Chinese consider civil service jobs to be stable and rewarding. Competition for them has increased each year. This year, only one out of every 93 people who will take the exam is expected to be offered a job next year in the central government or those organizations directly attached to it.
1.05 million people qualified to take the exam in 2009, but only one out of 77 passed and was offered a job. 80 million people qualified in 2008, and one out of 60 was offered a position, while 60 million people were entitled to take the exam for 2007 and just one out of 42 passed. Before they take the test, applicants must meet minimum educational requirements. In some cases, work experience is also needed.