Students set record as gaokao begins

With parents, teachers and friends lining up outside test centers to cheer them on, a record 10.71 million students around China began taking the all-important national college entrance exam, or gaokao, amid the COVID-19 pandemic on July 7, after it had been delayed by a month due to the outbreak.

Students in most parts of the country took the exam on July 7-8, while in some places that have undertaken gaokao reforms, such as Beijing, the exam would be held until July 10.

Measures are in place to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus during the gaokao, which will be the largest organized gathering of people since the start of the outbreak.

Students are required to have their temperatures checked before they can enter the test centers, and only those with temperatures below 37.3 C are allowed in.