Gaokao jitters meet youth unemployment fears as 12.9 million students chase university dreams across China

Gaokao jitters meet youth unemployment fears as 12.9 million students chase university dreams across China

China's 12.9 million gaokao participants sit for the university entrance exam amid record youth unemployment (one in six aged 16-24 jobless). Parental shift from score-maximization to health protection signals education system stress; exam's AI questions reflect skills priorities in a tech-driven market.