Civil service test takers across China are not being deterred by the fact that competition for government positions continues to grow, and so many people are fighting for a relatively small number of jobs. They have their eyes of the benefits landing a post would bring. Our reporter Guan Xin reports.

It's a chilly windy day in Beijing, but Mr. Ma seems not to notice the cold. He has been waiting for an hour here. And in another half an hour, he will take part in the 2011 national civil servant examination ... Ma faces tough competition.

Mr. Ma, civil service candidate, said, "The competition for this job is really intense. I just want to give it a try. My parents would be happy if I could work for the government. I want to stay in Beijing, but it's so expensive to live here, especially housing prices. If I can become a civil servant, I will feel much more secure."

Some 1.3 million candidates are qualified for the exam. But only one out of a hundred can get the job. The most sought after position is with the National Energy Administration. Nearly 5-thousand people are fighting for one post.

Guan Xin said, "Why is the exam so attractive that over one million people are taking part? In addition to the perceived stability of government jobs, young people, including top ranking university graduates, are also attracted by the power and social status that comes a long with government jobs."

Ms. Liu, Civil Service Candidate, said, "I am now working in an enterprise. The salary is not bad. But I think the government position would be a raise in social status."

But the rising popularity of the exam has also triggered public concern. The enthusiastic pursuit of government positions is considered a reflection of the changing social structure.

Beijing resident Ms. Xu said, "In the past, more people were willing to work for enterprises, especially foreign funded companies, which have higher salaries. But now many people consider a government job as the best choice. It's no longer the so called `iron rice bowl` of the past, but a `golden rice bowl` now."

As more people are trying their luck at the civil servant exam, the Chinese government has also increased available posts. 16-thousand civil servants will be hired in 2011, 1,000 more than a year ago.

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