For the first time, the exams will cover only Chinese, mathematics and English on Wednesday and Thursday - the exams for the other three, minor courses were already finished by April. This is one of the changes introduced in the pilot gaokao reform in Shanghai and Zhejiang, which may be extended to other parts of the country.
Every year in China, about 9 million students take the gaokao, a one-shot exam vital to students getting a college education that will later help them compete in the tough job market. Some see it as the only way to ensure their futures.