The Evolution of the PRC`s Policies Governing College Graduates` Employment

Abstract

For decades, mainland Chinese college graduates were subjected to a rigid job assignment system and enjoyed no freedom in job selection. However, in the early 1980s, the educational authorities reformed enrollment sources, delegated assignment power to universities, and promoted “face-to-face meetings between supply and demand.” In the late 1980s, the rejection of college graduates by employing units prompted the State Education Commission (SEC) to bid for the elimination of the placement system, and launched “two-way choice” activities as the intermediate stage of reforms. However the latter have quickly lost their luster because of the segmentation of the mainland Chinese job market for talented people, and various controversial issues have emerged. Be that as it may, the merits of a job market with macro-control measures for college graduates have been affirmed, and emphasis has been placed on perfecting information networks and job counseling for students.