Zhou Yaya, a worker from Changsha electric facility factory was taking the national college entrance exam on December 18, 1977. (Xinhua Photo)

On May 24 1977, the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping delivered a speech entitled "Respect Knowledge: Respect Talents", indicating the possible re-introduction of the national college entrance exam that had been stopped a decade ago.

Later that winter, when more than 5 million candidates aged between 15 and 36 took the exam, it seemed as though spring had come at last.

Looking back on the event, one cannot say too many in praise of the move.

The "gaokao", or national college entrance exam of 1977 not only restored an examination system, but also social equality and justice. This was a major turning point for millions of people born in the 1950s, those who took the exam went on to became a mainstay of the nation.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education, over the last three decades, around 36 million students have been admitted into universities, colleges, and vocational and technical schools across China. Enrolment rates have risen from 4.7 percent in 1977 to 56.85 percent in 2006.

School campuses become a place of mass education for all, rather than gardens of Eden for only fortune-favored scholars.

No fair play

Selecting talent through exams is an age-old tradition in China, dating back to Sui dynasty. As the system has evolved, equality is still the main issue. However, one wonders if the "gaokao" is really all that fair?

"No," says Chu Zhaohui, an education expert. "But we have not found a better alternative. "Gaokao" is the least bad method we have to date."

"Regional discrimination" has drawn wide criticism. University's usually set a fixed admissions quota for each province, with the number and quality of the colleges available varying greatly across China. For example, compared to Beijing, Hunan province has fewer colleges per capita. Therefore an applicant in Hunan needs a significantly higher score than his Beijing counterpart to get into the same college.

Over recent years, this has led to many families relocating for the sole purpose of gaining better opportunities in their children's college application process. In 2005, a top candidate from Hainan province was refused entry into prestigious Tsinghua University, sparking widespread discussion about migrating college candidates. Li Yang, a Hubei native, moved to Hainan because he believed there was less competition on the national college entrance exam there. As a result of this incident, 'migrating examinees' were banned nation-wide.

Earlier in March during China's' two session', a Nation People's Congress deputy named Fan Yi proposed that the "gaokao" system be abolished. For those whose took the exam 30 years ago, this proposal is imprudent.

"For a society that was once overly zealous in abolishing the exam system to the detriment of a whole generation of youth, we should now cherish this hard-won exam system and make continuous efforts for its improvement," says scholar, Lei Yi.

Reforms, where the road leads

Over the last three decades, China's universities have never stopped in their reforms, such as enrolment expansion, college mergers and exam paper evolutions. However, all these efforts have not offset increasingly negative comments, as the reforms never touch on the fundamental problem - the loss of university spirit.

Commonly held views on contemporary university spirit incorporate four principles: a free and independent spirit, human spirit, scientific spirit and critical spirit.

As competition in every aspect of school life is becoming fierce, utilitarianism is flooding campuses. Scandals such as plagiarism are increasing among professors, and post-graduate education has become a stepping-stone for job-hunting students.

In such a context, the function of higher education has become confused, and is declining in efficiency.

To reshape their image, Chinese universities should establish their position under the banner of "university spirit". The government should also give universities more freedom, regarding them as a fundament in national development.

People's Daily published the top news "Important reforms on higher education enrollment" and a commentary "Doing well the work of college enrollment is the hope of the whole nation" on 1977 October 12, marking the official resumption of the national college entrance examination system after a 11-year halt.(Xinhua Photo)

Editor: Wing