Access to university education in the people's republic of China; A longitudinal analysis of the structure and content of the university entrance examinations 1984–88

Abstract

China's education system has been in transition since the end of the Cultural Revolution. Some of the most striking developments have occurred in the explosive expansion of higher education, driven by the desire to increase the supply of graduates to meet demand in the labour market for qualified professionals. The unified university entrance examination introduced in the late 1970s has become the main access route to university places which have acquired overriding importance for secondary school students. This paper analyses the form and content of the examinations set between 1984 and 1988. It shows changes that have been taking place and discusses some of the factors that lie behind these. In offering a critique of some aspects of the examining process, the paper offers several topics for consideration for the further development of the university entrance examinations.