This year marks the 40th year since China resumed the college entrance examination system, gaokao, after it was suspended during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76). Forty years after the gaokao was restored, the fate of several generations has completely changed and the country's intellectual and cultural appearance has been reshaped.

The significance of the gaokao lies in the fact that it offers fair access to universities for all participants. Without it, many unqualified students may enter university through the so-called recommendation system, while qualified students may miss the opportunity due to various covert deals.

So far, no selective examination can compete with the gaokao in terms of fairness and social recognition. However, it must be admitted that, compared with the first years following resumption, disputes about and even criticism of this system have increased. Some have questioned the falling proportion of recruited rural students, and the policy of adding extra points to certain students' scores has raised concerns over unfairness and even corruption. The vast majority of criticism, however, does not mean to abandon the gaokao, but to show hope for a more updated and efficient system.

In response, the Chinese Government has launched pilot reforms in places such as Zhejiang Province and Shanghai Municipality. For example, students can take the English exam twice during the senior high school period and choose the one that bears the higher score as a parameter for their final gaokao. This round of reform is the biggest overhaul of the gaokao system since its resumption.

(This is an edited excerpt of an article published in Nanfang Daily on June 7)