China's 2026 national civil service exam for central government institutions was held on Sunday amid fierce competition, with an average of 74 applicants vying for each available position this year.

2026年中国中央政府机构公务员考试于周日举行，竞争异常激烈，今年平均每个职位有74名考生角逐。

A total of 3.718 million candidates passed the initial verification process and about 2.83 million people sat for the exams to compete for only 38,100 positions, making this year's recruitment process the most intense in the exam's history, according to the State Administration of Civil Service.

国家公务员局数据显示，共有371.8万名考生通过初审，约283万人实际参加考试，而岗位仅3.81万个，使今年成为公务员考试史上竞争最激烈的一届。

The applicant pool has increased dramatically in recent years, rising from about 2.6 million in 2023 to over 3.7 million this year.

近年来申请人数激增，从2023年的约260万增至今年的370万以上。

One standout example of the exam's competitiveness is a police officer position in Ruili, Yunnan province with the National Immigration Administration, which attracted 6,470 applicants for a single opening.

该考试竞争激烈的一个典型例子是云南省国家移民管理局瑞丽遣返中心的一个警官职位，仅一个空缺就吸引了6470名应聘者。

A significant reform to this year's exam was the relaxation of age restrictions, which is in line with China's progressive approach to delaying the legal retirement age. The general applicant age limit was raised from 35 to 38, while new graduates with master's and doctoral degrees will now be eligible up to age 43, representing a three-year extension from previous limits.

今年考试的一项重大改革是放宽了年龄限制，这与中国逐步推迟法定退休年龄的政策相呼应。普通报考者的年龄上限从35岁提高到38岁，而硕士和博士学位的新毕业生现在最高可至43岁，比以往限制延长了三年。

Experts said this year's national civil service exam, the first to break the "age 35 threshold", establishes a significant precedent for more inclusive public sector recruitment processes. The reforms not only expand opportunities for experienced professionals but also set important benchmarks for private sector hiring practices, promoting ability-based talent selection across Chinese society, they said.

专家指出，今年全国公务员考试首次打破“35岁年龄限制”，为公共部门招聘流程建立更包容的机制树立了重要先例。他们表示，这项改革不仅为经验丰富的专业人士拓展了职业发展空间，也为私营企业招聘实践树立了重要标杆，推动全社会践行能力本位的人才选拔机制。

This policy adjustment acknowledges the valuable experience and capabilities that professionals in their mid-30s have accumulated, said Zhu Lijia, a professor at the National Academy of Governance.

国家行政学院教授朱立佳表示，这项政策调整充分认可了35岁左右专业人才所积累的宝贵经验和能力。

Including them in the public service can significantly enhance the quality of government departments, he told China News Service.

他告诉中国新闻社，将他们纳入公共服务体系，能够显著提升政府部门的质量。

The age limit reform has generated substantial social impact, with many provincial-level civil service exams in regions including Shanghai and the provinces of Sichuan and Jiangsu already adopting similar relaxed age policies. Experts anticipate this trend will expand to more regions and public institution recruitment processes.

年龄限制改革引发了显著的社会影响，上海、四川、江苏等地的省级公务员考试已纷纷采取类似放宽年龄的政策。专家预测，这一趋势将扩展至更多地区及公共机构的招聘流程。

For many older candidates, the policy change represents a second chance at public service careers. Zhou Ming, a 35-year-old professional working in the internet industry in Guangdong province, expressed renewed hope. "This feels like an opportunity to re-enter the competition when I thought my chances had passed."

对许多年长的应聘者而言，这项政策调整意味着重返公共服务岗位的第二次机会。在广东从事互联网行业的35岁专业人士周明（音译）重燃希望：“当我以为机会已经错过时，这感觉像是重新获得竞争资格的契机。”

However, challenges persist for older applicants. The exam structure continues to show a strong preference for new graduates, with approximately 66.7 percent of the available positions reserved for recent graduates. This leaves limited options for experienced professionals seeking career transitions.

然而，年长申请者仍面临诸多挑战。考试结构持续向应届毕业生倾斜，约66.7%的职位名额专为应届毕业生保留。这使得寻求职业转型的资深专业人士选择有限。

Yi Dinghong, from Huatu Education, a training institution for civil service exams, said older candidates often face unique challenges. "They typically balance work and family responsibilities while preparing for examinations," he noted. "However, their extensive work experience and developed competencies in communication, coordination, and stress management provide distinct advantages during interview stages."

华图教育公务员培训机构的易定宏指出，年长考生常面临独特挑战。“他们通常需要在备考期间兼顾工作与家庭责任，”他强调，“但丰富的职场经验以及在沟通协调、压力管理方面形成的综合能力，使他们在面试环节具备显著优势。”

Ma Liang, professor of Peking University's School of Government, said that as retirement ages extend and educational periods lengthen, people enter the workforce later. Relaxing age restrictions represents an inevitable trend that aligns with evolving workforce demographics.

北京大学政府管理学院教授马亮指出，随着退休年龄推迟和受教育年限延长，人们进入劳动力市场的年龄不断推迟。放宽年龄限制是顺应劳动力人口结构变化的必然趋势。

Ma further suggested that future adjustments might include the complete removal of age limits, though this will be a gradual process and require corresponding reforms in career advancement systems to ensure fair development opportunities for all employees.

马亮进一步建议，未来的调整可能包括完全取消年龄限制，但这将是一个渐进的过程，需要对职业晋升体系进行相应改革，以确保所有员工都能获得公平的发展机会。

civil service exam

国家公务员考试

State Administration of Civil Service

国家公务员局