The application period for joining the national-level government agencies, their affiliated public institutions and local branches is about to open, with the country planning to recruit 27,000 such civil servants, up from around 22,000 last year.

Candidates can apply online from Oct 15 to 24, with written tests stating on Nov 29, according to a statement issued on Oct 13 by the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the State Administration of Civil Service.

Candidates with experience working for local government bodies will be favored.

Most positions in government agencies above provincial level will require two years of such “grassroots” experience, and about 10 percent of vacancies will be set aside for college graduates-turned village officials, said the statement.

The authorities will also try to recruit more public servants from remote areas, and crack down on cheating on the tests.