A student reviews her lessons in the library. She builds a closed learning space with paper boxes. [Photo by Chen Dong/for China Daily]

The epidemic has undoubtedly added hurdles to a large number of school candidates. Most colleges and universities did not return to school in the first half of the year, and candidates can only brush up on their professional study through online classes at home. The absence of a learning atmosphere has a significant impact on their learning efficiencies. Shao Qi, a candidates majoring in journalism at Anqing Normal University in Anhui province, says: "In the early stages of preparation for the exam, we can only review at home, which requires a higher level of self-discipline. In addition, the epidemic affects employment, and more undergraduates choose to take postgraduate entrance examinations, leading to a surge in the number of competitors."

China is already a major player in postgraduate education, and the number of postgraduate programs has increased substantially in recent years. Although the number of graduate students has reached 3 million, the number of registered graduate students per thousand has just exceeded two, which is far below the level of seven or eight in developed countries.