Police put on standby to assist students in distress

Some 6,600 Beijing police officers are on duty every day during this year's national college entrance exam, or gaokao, to help guarantee the security of more than 58,000 students taking the test in the capital.

The gaokao started at 9 am on Wednesday, and will last between two and four days, depending on the location.

While ensuring safety and maintaining order around schools, Beijing Public Security Bureau said that it has opened over 5,800 temporary parking lots for parents who need to drive their children to the exam.

In areas with heavy traffic, the bureau said that police officers are ensuring traffic moves smoothly, and students are able to arrive on time.

As of 9:30 am on Wednesday, traffic police had received 30 cases from students and parents asking for help, and all the problems were solved.

In one case, police in Fangshan district received a call at 8:03 am in which a parent said they were stuck in heavy traffic on the way to take their child to the exam.

Police quickly found the car at a crossing of the district's finance department and offered aid, carrying the student by motorcycle to Liangxiang High School, the exam room, by 8:14 am.

In another case, some residents called the police in Fengtai district at 8:19 am, saying that a student near Fufeng Bridge subway station was almost late for the exam. Three minutes later, police on duty in that area arrived at the station and took the student to the exam site, Fengtai No 2 High School, at 8:29 am.

The traffic management department under the public security bureau said that more than 800 police officers riding motorcycles across the capital are responsible for aiding students and guaranteeing their security during the exam.

In addition to security and traffic management, the bureau said that 546 construction sites near test centers citywide have been told to not make noise in the following days.