About 1.12 million candidates sat the National Public Servant Exam on Sunday, an increase of 150,000 from last year, according to a State Administration of Civil Service official.

One out of 53 exam takers will be successful in gaining a government post, according to the administration.

The annual National Public Servant Exam includes an aptitude test and a written policy essay, and those who pass the written exam will make it to the interview round.

The popularity of the exam has been attributed to mounting pressures in finding employment, fairness of the test, and an attractive civil servant job which is stable and respected.

This year, a record 1.5 million candidates submitted online applications for about 21,000 government jobs to be filled next year.

Enthusiasm towards the exam has triggered concerns of students' power worship, and brain drain from other economically productive social sectors.

(Xinhua News Agency November 25, 2012)