BEIJING: More than 3 million people took China’s annual civil service exam on the weekend, state media reported on Monday (Nov 27), a record number that underscores young people’s concerns about getting a secure job in a rocky economy.
With stubbornly high youth employment in the world’s second-largest economy, the prospect of a less glamorous career in the civil service is increasingly attractive as private sector job opportunities dwindle.
“After all, the general environment is not good,” one user of the Weibo social media platform said of economic prospects as posts about the civil service exam surged.
“Companies are laying off employees and closing down in large numbers. It is not stable at all, so I have to choose to be a civil servant. Lesser earnings are fine. At least I won’t be unemployed and starve to death.”
The exam was held simultaneously in 237 cities across the country on Sunday, the state-run China Daily reported.
A record high of 39,600 vacancies are up for grabs at central government agencies and affiliated institutions. On average, 77 candidates are competing for every position, the Global Times newspaper reported.
Source: CNA
