A woman applying to take the public servant examination has her identification and qualifications certified in Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province November 4, 2005. This year, 97 central state and government departments plan to recruit 8,662 public servants, but the number of applicants across the country is about 1 million, with about 500,000 applicants passing the qualification check. In the end, only one out of every 50 could succeed in the examination. [Xinhua]

Applicants to take the public servant examination form a long line to have their identifications certified in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province November 4, 2005. This year, 97 central state and government departments plan to recruit 8,662 public servants, but the number of applicants across the country is about 1 million, with about 500,000 applicants passing the qualification check. In the end, only one out of every 50 could succeed in the examination. [Xinhua]

Applicants to take the public servant examination wait to have their identifications certified in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province November 4, 2005. In Shandong, about 38,000 applied to take the examination. This year, 97 central state and government departments plan to recruit 8,662 public servants, but the number of applicants across the country is about 1 million, with about 500,000 applicants passing the qualification check. In the end, only one out of every 50 could succeed in the examination. [newsphoto]

Applicants to take the public servant examination have digital photo taken in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province November 4, 2005. In Shandong, about 38,000 applied to take the examination. This year, 97 central state and government departments plan to recruit 8,662 public servants, but the number of applicants across the country is about 1 million, with about 500,000 applicants passing the qualification check. In the end, only one out of every 50 could succeed in the examination. [newsphoto]