China’s Gaokao exam is considered the world’s toughest college entrance exam. In 2025, 13.35 million students took the exam, with acceptance rates below 0.1%. This makes it much tougher than India’s JEE.
The Gaokao demands extreme endurance, broad syllabus mastery, and intense national pressure. It’s a test of not just academic knowledge but also mental resilience and adaptability.
The exam is held over two days, with students facing intense competition and high stakes. The results of the Gaokao can determine a student’s future, making it one of the most stressful exams in the world.
