"Protect the Exam Papers Watched by 10 Million"... China Deploys Armored Vehicles and Armed Guards

Security Technology Surpassing Bank Cash Transport
Chinese Netizens Say "Understandable if It's for Gaokao"

The 'Gaokao,' which can be considered the Chinese version of the College Scholastic Ability Test, is a crucial exam that determines the university admission of over ten million test-takers every year. Both Chinese students and their parents are as invested in the Gaokao as Koreans are in the CSAT.

Amid this, the detailed process of how Gaokao exam papers are distributed was recently revealed. The Hong Kong media outlet South China Morning Post (SCMP), which introduced the ironclad security of the Gaokao, emphasized that "security technology used is at a level envied by banks that transport cash."

On the 11th (local time), SCMP reported in detail on the delivery process of Gaokao exam papers. This news originally came from China's state broadcaster CCTV and has recently become a hot topic among local netizens.

The exam papers for the Chinese version of the college entrance exam, 'Gaokao,' are distributed under strict security. [Image source=Captured from SCMP website]

This year alone, more than 13 million students are expected to take the Gaokao. As such, the Gaokao in China is not just a simple exam but is regarded as a critical moment that determines a person's fate. Consequently, the process of transporting Gaokao exam papers to each school is strictly protected.

SCMP compared the transportation of Gaokao exam papers to a 'top-secret military operation.' The actual delivery of exam papers begins about three months before the exam. A select few teachers from universities and high schools secretly gather in Beijing, where they are confined in special solitary rooms that prevent them from meeting each other and begin producing the exam papers. These solitary rooms are practically no different from prisons. Inside, the use of any communication devices, including smartphones, is prohibited.

The completed exam papers are printed under the supervision of the Chinese Ministry of Education. Even minor details such as which company handles the printing and the location of the printing presses are all state secrets.

To keep the secrets of the exam papers, agents from the National Confidential Protection Agency are deployed, and the cargo vehicles used are protected with thick armor.
[Image source=Captured from Chinese online community]

It is said that agents from the Chinese National Administration for the Protection of State Secrets are even involved in the operation to protect the exam content. This administration is a department responsible for collecting legal evidence and documents for Chinese authorities. The printing factories and delivery vehicles transporting the printed papers are monitored 24/7 by security guards and cameras. After printing is completed and the vehicles depart for each school, numerous cameras, surveillance devices, and security vehicles follow them.

Regarding this, SCMP explained, "Armed security services deployed exceed those used by banks." Banks that provide cash transportation services usually spend astronomical amounts to deploy security vehicles and armored trucks, but the personnel, technology, and capital involved in Gaokao distribution far surpass that level.

Chinese netizens who saw the news expressed surprise, saying, "There were efforts to maintain secrecy beyond imagination." However, most netizens found the level of national expenditure acceptable for the sake of the Gaokao exam. Comments included, "We appreciate the authorities' efforts," "It is understandable for the security of the Gaokao," "This exam must be conducted fairly," and "Gaokao is the only way to succeed in China."