THE national college entrance examination, or gaokao, began Saturday. According to data released by the Chinese Ministry of Education, the number of candidates for this year’s gaokao is 13.35 million, 70,000 fewer than last year. The exam is a crucial test for Chinese high school students, determining their college admission. Chinese society is mobilizing to provide thoughtful, heartfelt support for the candidates and to ensure fairness and integrity throughout the process. Currently, the gaokao consists of three compulsory subjects — Chinese, math, and English — with exam questions set by the Ministry of Education. Elective subjects include chemistry, physics, biology, history, political science, and geography. Over the course of two to four days, depending on the provincial-level region, students take exams in six subjects. The 2025 gaokao also includes specially prepared Braille test papers for 16 blind candidates from 12 provinces. Minutes after the conclusion of the gaokao’s Chinese exam on the morning of June 7, discussions about its essay topics quickly surged to the top of Weibo’s (the Chinese equivalent of Twitter) trending list. Each year, the essay topics attract considerable attention as they reflect the latest societal developments and evolving expectations placed on younger generations. (SD News) | 