Move to cut subjects in entrance test

A growing number of regions across China have announced plans to remove biology and geography from the scoring system of the high school entrance examination, known as the zhongkao, starting in 2027.

The move is part of broader efforts to reduce the burden on students and expand access to general high school education. Jilin province was the latest to announce such reforms on March 17.

Biology and geography will no longer count toward the total zhongkao score from next year, according to a statement from the provincial education department.

The subjects will instead be assessed through open-book exams, with results presented in letter grades rather than numerical scores.

Similar reforms are underway nationwide.

Huangshan in Anhui province will exclude biology and geography from zhongkao scores starting in 2027, instead requiring passing grades for admission to elite high schools.

Ji'an in Jiangxi province will introduce computer-based testing for the two subjects, with results presented as grades A through D serving as reference only.

Xiangtan in Hunan province has reduced scored subjects to eight with a 655-point cap, eliminating biology and geography while expanding open-book exams and admission quotas for underprivileged schools.

Gao Hang, vice-dean of the School of Education at Renmin University of China, said the model of reducing exam subjects is gaining recognition, and more regions are considering such reforms.

The reforms typically involve three elements: converting some subjects from "exams" to "assessments", shifting from closed-book to open-book exams, and replacing numerical scores with letter grades.

"These measures help reduce academic burden and school teaching pressure, and they alleviate the anxiety of 'point-by-point competition'. In the past, a single point could separate hundreds of students in ranking. Now, the obsession with scores might diminish," Gao said.

The reforms come as the 2022 edition of the compulsory education curriculum plan introduced new requirements, including making labor education and information technology independent subjects, and strengthening modules such as artificial intelligence, national security education and rule of law education, he added.

Reducing the number of scored subjects, Gao said, helps create space for students to engage with new curriculum requirements without adding to exam pressure. It also serves as a "command baton" to shift the focus from score-oriented education to holistic development.

During this year's two sessions, Liu Xiya, a national lawmaker and head of the Chongqing Xiejiawan Education Group, called for further integration of curriculum subjects, noting that in some regions, primary school students study as many as 11 subjects per week, and middle school students more than 15. "Too many subjects, too finely divided, lead to excessive burden," she said.

Gao acknowledged that shifting away from a deeply entrenched culture of score-chasing will take time.

"Standardized testing still has value, especially in ensuring fairness. The challenge is to balance that with the goal of fostering well-rounded development. What we're doing now is correcting the direction, but returning to the desired state will take time," he said.

Alongside the reduction in exam subjects, multiple regions are expanding general high school capacity and increasing admission quotas.

Xiangtan's reform plan explicitly abolishes the previous vocational-general ratio limit, aiming to gradually increase the proportion of students entering general high schools.

Fear of entering secondary vocational schools has been a source of anxiety and intense competition among students and parents, as many still view them as inferior to general high schools.

Jilin province has also committed to expanding general high school enrollment and abolishing the vocational-general ratio limit, ensuring students' right to choose.

In January, Shengsi county in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, drew national attention by announcing the abolition of zhongkao selection functions and the introduction of a "universal direct admission to high school" mechanism, ensuring that all eligible local middle school graduates can enter general high schools.

Nationwide, general high school enrollment has been steadily increasing. In 2024, enrollment exceeded 10 million for the first time, reaching 10.36 million, with the admission rate topping 60 percent. In 2025, enrollment rose further to 10.75 million, with the admission rate climbing to 62.36 percent, according to the Ministry of Education.

Guangdong province plans to add more than 200,000 general high school places this year. Wuhan in Hubei province will add another 8,000 places on top of the 8,000 added in 2025.

Ding Changfa, an associate professor of economics at Xiamen University, told media outlet Yicai that many regions have built new high schools and expanded enrollment in recent years.

At the same time, many vocational schools can now offer comprehensive high school classes, increasing the number of schools and places as well as easing parents' anxiety about the vocational track, Ding said.

zoushuo@chinadaily.com.cn