Is this the most difficult exam? - 15th June 2026

It's exam time in Beijing. High-school students are taking the 'Gaokao'. The Gaokao is China's university entrance exam. This year, 13.4 million students are taking it.

Gaokao results are important. High scores get students into the best universities. This makes lots of students stressed.

There are 2,820 universities and colleges in China. 155 universities are in the Project 211 group. Lots of people try to get into these universities.

In the past, students worked too hard. They got sick. Now, people's ideas are changing. Deng Ju wants her daughter to be happy.

Deng Ju: "She has her own plans. I am more hands-off, as long as she can perform normally. I care more about physical health."

Students try to stay calm. This helps them to focus. It's important for Zhang Xinnan.

Zhang Xinnan: "But if we can calm down, we should be able to get to a stable mentality. Mentality is the most important when it comes to the Gaokao."

The Gaokao takes up to four days. The main subjects are maths, Chinese and a language. Everyone has to take these. Then, students choose three more.

Three options are biology, chemistry and physics. The others are geography, history and politics.

Students' choices link to their future studies. Universities now have courses in AI, robotics, and green energy.

For teacher Wang, the Gaokao's an end and a beginning.

Teacher Wang: "Everyone wants to contribute to society in their own way, even if methods vary from person to person. The Gaokao is a final stage for high school, but it's the starting point for the things that come later in life."