Fierce Competition Hits the Nation's Civil Service Exam

Candidates in Jiangsu Province for the National Civil Service Exam.

    Competition has been heavy to take the nation's civil service entry exam, and more fierce than ever this year. According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, 1.35 million applicants have passed the qualifying evaluation rounds and 1 million are expected to sit for the exam. The hottest government job listing attracted 4,080 applicants.

    Fifty-two percent of the applicants applied for openings in the customs and taxation administrations. Jobs on the railway, in public security and meteorological departments proved to be much less attractive due to higher requirements and tougher working conditions.

    In the current economic climate, jobs with lower risk of unemployment prove the most attractive. This explains the rise in interest for civil service employment, experts conclude.