Ninety percent of civil servants in central government bodies have come from ordinary households in the past three years, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Yin Weimin said on Tuesday.

"About 60 percent of civil servants come from workers' and farmers' households, and the figure reaches 90 percent when the families of teachers, doctors, engineers, private business owners and freelance workers are included," Yin said.

Yin said the methods used to examine and recruit civil servants are largely considered fair, although the popularity of the civil service exam has stirred some debate.

The exam includes an aptitude test and a written essay on policy, and successful candidates go on to an interview after passing these portions of the exam.

Government posts are sought after for the stability they offer, as employment pressure has increased in recent years.

Yin said 90 percent of civil servants are working in mid-level administrations, and 60 percent serve at the county level or below.

"Civil servants at the county level will be promoted and receive greater benefits if they work hard," Yin said.

According to the ministry, 188,000 people were recruited as civil servants in 2012, and 18,000 worked in central government bodies and 170,000 in local regions.

In 2012, more recruits had work experience at grassroots-level posts, and nearly all the posts above the provincial level were filled by people with more than two years of work experience, the ministry said.

Yang Shiqiu, vice-minister of human resources and social security, said the quality of civil servants has improved in recent years. Ninety-two percent of public servants acquired undergraduate degrees or higher level degrees, and 26 percent of recruits were younger than age 35.

Around 1.12 million candidates took the national civil service exam on Nov 25, an increase of 150,000 from 2011, according to the State Administration of Civil Service.

One in every 53 examinees will successfully obtain a government post, according to the administration.

(China Daily 01/09/2013 page5)