1. Compulsory subjects: the new "3 plus 3" mode
In most publicized gaokao reform plans, liberal arts or science subjects will no longer be taken separately. Instead, a new mode called "3 plus 3" will be adopted.
Under the new mode, candidates can choose any three subjects from politics, history, geography, physics, chemistry and biology, while Chinese, maths and one foreign language are three required ones.
2. One more chance for foreign languages
Candidates in most provincial regions can take exams in foreign languages twice in an academic year. The higher mark of the two will be counted in the final gaokao scoring.
3. Test papers to be nationally standardized
Twenty-six provincial regions will hold the exam, with the test papers to be designed in a unified fashion. Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Jiangsu and Zhejiang won't join the cluster.
4. Fewer conditions for bonus points
Most provincial regions have reduced the number of items which give students extra points on top of their gaokao exam grade.
Items such as "Provincial Excellent Student", "Good Merit Student" and "prize winner of science and technology competition" will be eliminated at the national level. And circumstances under which extra points are given at the provincial level should be cut by a wide margin.
Some favorable conditions to lower the threshold for ethnic minorities have also been modified.
5. Timetable set for high school academic assessment tests
Regions and cities such as Beijing have set out their timetable for holding high school academic assessment tests, which will be another factor to be considered in college enrollment other than the current prevailing gaokao scores.
6 First gaokao since cheating was made a criminal act
This year's gaokao will be the first held since China listed cheating in the exam as a criminal act in its newly amended Criminal Law, which was effective from Nov 1 last year.
To ensure no cheating occurs, many provincial authorities have resorted to high technology for the first time, including face recognition, fingerprint verification systems, metal detectors and electronic monitoring systems.
According to the revised law, cheaters can be sentenced to up to 7 years in prison.
