In China’s tight economy, a fake exam-takers scheme has touched a nerve

In the cutthroat world of Chinese civil service exams, the most dangerous opponent is not necessarily the person in the next seat: it is the “ghost” candidate designed to scare you away before you even show up. A bizarre case of inflating applicant numbers to deter potential candidates has become a national talking point, as tougher job prospects raise interest in civil service examinations on the mainland. First reported by state media in December, the case involved the illegal purchase of...

By Yuanyue Dang