A student shakes hands with a robotic police officer after the first Chinese language exam of the National College Entrance Exam, or gaokao, concluded at Hongling Middle School in Futian District yesterday morning. A record-high 83,000 students in Shenzhen are taking the exam this year, which runs through Tuesday. This compares to 66,000 in 2024 and 75,000 in 2025. Shenzhen police have deployed multiple drones and robotic officers to ensure the smooth progress of the gaokao. Nationally, 12.9 million students are sitting for the gaokao. The gaokao stands as the primary pathway for Chinese students to gain admission to universities. In more than four decades, more than 180 million students have been admitted to universities through the gaokao system, according to a China Daily report.Liu Xudong