China's College Entrance Exam 'Gaokao' Sees 13.35 Million Candidates This Year, Decrease for the First Time in 8 Years

[Financial News] The number of candidates for the Gaokao, China's college entrance exam, has decreased for the first time in 8 years.
According to state-run Xinhua News Agency on the 29th, the number of candidates this year is 13.35 million, about 70,000 fewer than last year's record high of 13.42 million.
The number of Gaokao candidates increased for seven consecutive years from 2018 to last year.
The number of candidates peaked at 10.61 million in 2008, then continued to decline until 2013 (9.12 million), stabilizing around 9.4 million from 2014 to 2017.
Then, in 2018, the number increased by 350,000 compared to the previous year to 9.75 million, continuing the upward trend until it surpassed 13 million for the first time last year.
The reason for the decrease in candidates is attributed to the decline in the population born in 2006-2007 who are taking the exam. China's birth population in 2006-2007 was between 15.8 million and 15.9 million, while the birth population in the previous year, 2005, exceeded 16 million.
This year's exam will be held nationwide in China on July 7-8. In some regions, it will continue until July 9-10, depending on the subject selection method.
The Chinese Ministry of Education announced that they will strictly inspect prohibited items to prevent cheating using smart devices such as mobile phones, electronic watches, and electronic glasses, and will ensure that wireless signals are completely blocked in the exam halls.
The use of AI systems for monitoring and patrolling within exam halls will also be expanded. In Guangdong Province, Hainan Province, and Beijing City, AI technology has been used for cheating surveillance since last year, and more regions have adopted it this year, according to Pengpai.

june@fnnews.com Lee Seok-woo Reporter