Yingyi Ma Article on the Renewed Fervor for China’s Civil Service Exam Published in Nikkei Asia

January 12, 2024

Nikkei Asia

Yingyi Ma

Sociology Department

Center for Policy Research

East Asia Program

China

Education

Government

Labor

Nikkei Asia

Yingyi Ma

"Job stability and security are what Chinese youth want now," written by Professor of Sociology Yingyi Ma, was published in Nikkei Asia.

Ma cites recent regulatory changes, , the COVID-19 pandemic, and China's current economic slowdown as reasons for the increased interest in government employment, and says the evolving employment landscape raises critical questions for China's future.

"For one, the public sector has limited ability to accommodate the surge in interest. But more importantly, the trend could have ominous ramifications for the private sector: As more graduates turn toward government jobs, the private sector could face a talent drain, impacting innovation and growth and undermining its future development," writes Ma.

"As 2024 begins, China's private sector is showing sustained signs of distress, a situation that is significantly influencing the career choices of college graduates," says Ma. "The stability and security offered by public sector jobs appear highly attractive to these young adults, a trend that is expected to not only persist but potentially increase."