Gaokao reforms

A young man shows his admission ticket before attending the gaokao in Lianyungang, East China's Jiangsu province, June 7, 2015. [Photo/IC]

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.