Since 2008, the number of mainland high-school students signing up for the national university entrance examination has declined every year.
Indeed, the once 'make-or-break' examination is losing much of its allure as a growing number of school-leavers choose to study abroad.
This year, 9.15 million have signed up for the two-day examination, known as the gaokao. That's 190,000 fewer than last year and 1.4 million below the record number in 2008.
Today marks the start of this year's examination.
Over the past four years, the enrolment has declined every year.
Some analysts have warned that this could force some universities to close. They say the reckless expansion of mainland universities since the late 1990s has contributed to the problem.
Furthermore, the number of mainlanders between 18 and 22 years of age will fall by about 40 million over the next decade due to the one-child policy.
