China's national college entrance exam, commonly referred to as the gaokao, is scheduled to be held from Saturday through Tuesday, with significant reforms being introduced this year across the education system.

Eight additional provincial-level regions—Sichuan, Henan, Shanxi, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Qinghai, and the Ningxia Hui and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions—are set to implement the gaokao reform, bringing the total number of provinces utilizing the new mechanisms to 29.

The reform mandates that candidates take three standard subjects: Chinese, mathematics, and a foreign language.

In addition, students must choose one primary elective subject, either physics or history, and select two further electives from chemistry, geography, political science, or biology.

This structure aims to provide greater flexibility in subject selection and to encourage a holistic approach that emphasizes individuality and personal interests in educational assessment.

Xiong Bingqi, director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, noted that while the reforms have introduced greater flexibility, challenges remain, particularly regarding the emphasis on test scores over comprehensive quality evaluations.

“It is necessary to strengthen the reform of comprehensive quality evaluation,” he stated.

In parallel, numerous universities have expanded their enrollment capacities this year.

Notable institutions such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University have added academic spots, primarily targeting fundamental disciplines such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry, along with areas deemed strategic and innovative.

Xi'an Jiaotong University has increased its enrollment for the tenth consecutive year, planning to add 200 new spots targeting emerging technology fields.

Admission director Cao Liangzhi emphasized the university's intention to cultivate talent aligned with technological and industrial advancements.

The Ministry of Education reported the introduction of 29 new undergraduate majors this year, encompassing areas like artificial intelligence, carbon neutrality, and digital governance.

Initiatives from Beijing Jiaotong University include five new majors in strategic domains, including data science and intelligent manufacturing.

The Beijing Institute of Technology is launching a low-altitude technology major, aimed at meeting national development needs in the low-altitude economy.

Universities are increasingly adjusting their programs to synchronize with social developments and societal demands.

Notably, a total of approximately 13.35 million students have registered for this year's gaokao, which reflects a decrease of 70,000 participants from the previous year—the first such decline in a decade.

This reduction is largely attributed to a drop in candidates for vocational college entrance exams, who are no longer required to participate in the gaokao, despite an increase in the number of candidates for the standard gaokao.

Xiong expressed hope that universities will not only increase enrollment but will also prioritize the enhancement of educational quality, aligning their admissions strategies with the unique strengths and conditions of each institution.