China’s national college entrance examination, known as the Gaokao, is often described as one of the toughest and largest examinations in the world. Every year, millions of students appear for the exam, which plays a major role in deciding admission to universities across China.
Recently, the Gaokao came into public discussion after the Chinese Embassy in India shared a social media post comparing China’s examination system with India’s JEE and NEET entrance exams. The post highlighted how China successfully conducted the Gaokao for more than 1.3 crore students over two days and praised the large-scale support provided to candidates during the examination period.
The post quickly attracted attention on social media. While many people appreciated the smooth conduct of the examination, others pointed out that China’s examination system has also faced controversies in the past, including incidents related to cheating, paper leaks and examination misconduct.
Although the Gaokao is known for its strict security measures and disciplined conduct, it has not been completely free from controversies. Over the years, there have been several reports of attempts to leak examination papers, share answers illegally and cheat during various major examinations conducted in China.
The discussion has led many people to ask whether China’s examination system is entirely free from problems. Looking at past incidents, it becomes clear that even highly regulated examination systems face challenges.
The Gaokao is one of the most important examinations in China. Students spend years preparing for it because their scores largely determine which universities they can enter. Because of its importance, authorities invest significant resources in ensuring that the examination remains secure and fair.
However, despite these efforts, there have been instances where individuals attempted to misuse the system for personal gain.
One of the recent incidents involved reports related to the 2026 Gaokao examination. According to reports, Chinese police took action against an individual who allegedly claimed to possess leaked examination papers before the test.
Authorities stated that the person reportedly tried to sell what was described as leaked examination material for around 2,000 yuan. Investigators later suggested that such claims were part of attempts to deceive anxious students and parents.
Officials said that online platforms and social media groups were often used by scammers to spread false claims about leaked examination papers. These individuals reportedly targeted students who were worried about their performance and looking for any advantage before the examination.
A similar controversy emerged during the 2022 Gaokao examination. Reports circulated online claiming that mathematics examination questions had appeared on the internet during the examination period.
The incident led to widespread speculation about a possible paper leak. However, later investigations suggested that a student had allegedly used a mobile phone to photograph examination questions and seek answers online while the examination was still in progress.
The case highlighted the challenges faced by examination authorities in preventing the misuse of modern technology inside examination centres.
China has also witnessed controversies involving other major examinations apart from the Gaokao.
In 2015, reports emerged that questions from the National Postgraduate Entrance Examination had appeared online before the test was conducted. The incident raised concerns about examination security and led to investigations by authorities.
There have also been occasional reports of cheating attempts during other competitive examinations, including the National Civil Service Examination, known as Guokao, and the High School Entrance Examination, known as Zhongkao.
These incidents demonstrate that no examination system is completely immune to attempts at malpractice, regardless of the security measures in place.
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The Gaokao remains one of the most significant examinations in the world. It was introduced in its modern form in 1952 and has since become the primary route for admission to higher education institutions in China.
Each year, more than one crore students appear for the examination. According to available figures, around 13.42 million students took the examination in 2024, while approximately 13.35 million students appeared in 2025. Similar numbers participated in the 2026 examination.
The examination tests students in multiple subjects, including Chinese language, mathematics and English. Students are also required to choose additional subjects depending on their academic interests and career goals.
The exam is considered highly competitive because admission to top universities depends heavily on performance in the Gaokao.
Due to the examination’s importance, Chinese authorities use advanced technology to maintain security and fairness. Many examination centres are equipped with artificial intelligence-based surveillance cameras. Drones, monitoring systems and other technological tools are also used to detect suspicious activities and prevent cheating.
Authorities regularly issue warnings against examination fraud and conduct strict checks to ensure compliance with examination rules.
The recent debate has also led to comparisons between China’s Gaokao and India’s JEE and NEET examinations.
Although all three are highly competitive entrance examinations, they serve different purposes. The Gaokao functions as a broad university entrance examination that determines admission to many higher education institutions across China.
In contrast, India’s Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is primarily used for admission to engineering institutions, while the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is used for admission to medical colleges.
The scale of participation also differs. The Gaokao typically attracts more than one crore candidates every year. Meanwhile, JEE generally sees participation from around 10 to 15 lakh students, while NEET attracts approximately 20 lakh candidates annually.
Despite differences in structure and scale, all major examinations face challenges related to fairness, transparency and security. Authorities in both countries continue to strengthen monitoring systems and introduce new technologies to reduce malpractice.
The discussion surrounding the Gaokao highlights an important reality: even the world’s largest and most strictly monitored examinations are not entirely free from controversies. While China’s examination system is known for its strong security arrangements, past incidents show that examination authorities must remain vigilant to prevent cheating and maintain public confidence in the system.
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