The just-concluded national postgraduate qualification exam saw a slight increase in the number of examinees over last year, signaling a cooling of the postgraduate study fever seen across China in recent years.
Xinhua News Agency reports 1.28 million people registered to take this year's exam, held this weekend, only 7,000 more than last year, while last year's figure jumped nine percent from 2005.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Education (MOE) described the cool down as the result of a "more rational" group of undergraduates.
The annual exam had previously been recording sharp increases in the number of participants every year, as many undergraduates believe continuing their studies can postpone the time when they are forced to compete for a job.
The MOE spokesman attributed this year's slight increase to the personal development counseling and career guidance being given to students at universities throughout China. Students are being encouraged to gain skills through first-hand work experience before pursuing a higher education.
An estimated five million university students are expected to graduate this summer. While job opportunities are close to capacity, the government has been trying to alleviate the pressure on the job market through a variety of measures, including encouraging fresh graduates to start their own businesses and go to work in the less-developed western part of China. |
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