Yin Weimin, the human resources and social security minister, speaks at the National Work Conference on Administration of Civil Servants held by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on Jan. 5th, 2010. [CNR.cn]

China will substantially improve its civil servant system by opening up its recruitment pool to candiates from farmers and workers nationwide, according to a latest National Work Conference on Administration of Civil Servants held by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on Jan. 5th, 2010.

China recruited more than 120,000 civil servants in 2009, among which 60 percent recruited by provincial government offices have had grassroots work experience, and 70 percent recruited by central government departments have got work background at grassroot levels, the China Youth Daily reports.

Yin Weimin, Minister of human resources and social security, announced at the conference that to further improve its civil service selection mechanism, China will explore a new policy for recruiting excellent workers and farmers. It will recruit more talent from rural areas and local communities.

In a cutthroat job market, civil servant positions have become one of the most desired in the country for their stability, good welfare benefits and high social status, making the exam extremely competitive.

Last November, more than 1 million people sat the state-level civil servants exam to compete for 15,000 government jobs opening up for 2010. At least 50 percent of the positions in central government departments and their provincial-level affiliated organizations were for university grads who have worked at the grassroots level for more than two years.