At a time erstwhile in Poland it is discussed about reducing the level of difficulty of elder exams, giving up exams in mathematics, the most hard Gaokao exams in past took place in China.
For Polish students, matura is simply a stressful exam, for Chinese – gaokao – is simply a real life test.
GaokaoThe Chinese maturity exam is the most crucial test in the lives of young Chinese. Introduced in 1952, he is present considered to be The most hard and competitive test in the world. While Polish M.A. tests basic knowledge, Gaokao is simply a multi-day marathon that determines access to elite colleges – and future careers.
This year, gaokao was carried out throughout China from 7 to 9 June, from Saturday to Monday. Before taking the exam, each of the students had to undergo a three-step control: nothing can be brought into the examination rooms that can unfairly increase the student's advantage over the others. All that matters is what's in your head.
In 2025 Gaokao passed revolutionary changesadapting to the era of artificial intelligence. By People’s DailyThis year:
New module ‘Cooperation with AI’ – students had to analyse data and measure ethical dilemmas of algorithms;
Academic Mathematics – including quantum explanation tasks;
Practical exam with robotics – compulsory for STEM students.
Essay in English on a controversial subject: “Will technology replace human wisdom?”.
No wonder that after months of preparation and after 3 days of exams, the energy of students must find their outlet. Chinese, of course.
Although Gaokao seems to be a modern concept, its roots go back Official exams from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD).
Similarities are striking:
Selectivity:
- In imperial China only 1% of candidates reported the highest level of kei (examinations)
- Today at Beijing University gets 0.1% Gaokao
Formula:
- Historically: multiday Confucian essays for isolated purposes
- Today: 9-12 hours a day tests under strict supervision
Social mobility (advance):
- The imperial exams theoretically allowed village boys to become mandarins
- Gaokao is inactive the main way of promotion for agrarian youth
Key Difference:
- The imperial exams checked Knowledge of Confucian Classics
- Gaokao 2025 rated ability to cooperate with AI
This year, 13.35 million advanced school students joined Gaokao. That's 70,000 little than in the erstwhile year, which means the first drop in this number in a decade.
Universities in turn announced an increase in the number of places, especially in directions related to basic sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry) and strategical improvement areas specified as artificial intelligence, robotics, engineering.
After the exams, students and their families await the authoritative results of the exams. Depending on these results, what university you can apply for, what diploma you can obtain, what your chances of success in the future will be built.
Author: 梁安基 Andrzej Z. Liang, 上海 Shanghai, 中国 China
Email: [email protected]
Editorial: Leszek B.
Email: [email protected]
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