中国吹响高考集结号

The 9.4 million Chinese students preparing to sit the exams were cheered on Monday by a good-luck message from legendary British physicist Stephen Hawking.

In a message tweeted through his social media account, Hawking wished the next generation of scientific minds a success in their academic endeavors.

The test is set to start on Tuesday and lasts for two or three days in different regions.

The Chinese version of the SAT is a make-or-break challenge for Chinese high school students, especially those from poor families.

To ensure more outstanding students from poor rural regions can be enrolled into elite universities, the Ministry of Education has kicked off a national plan.

Under this plan, high school graduates should submit their portfolios to universities, and take written tests and individual interviews before participating in the national college entrance exam, or gaokao. Those elite universities will then consider students' backgrounds and academic performances, and lower the minimum requirement for their gaokao scores.

Chen Meng grew up in a small town in southwest China where teaching resources and methods are less advanced than in big cities in the east.

She secured a spot at the prestigious Fudan University in Shanghai through the take-off plan.

"The education resource distribution between east and west, rural areas and cities is unbalanced in China. I have benefited from social support to conquer this gap, and I want to make an effort to pass on the goodwill, and change this situation."

Chen, who has been taking part in volunteer activities like this since entering Fudan University, is raising funds to help a primary school in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region this summer.

"The gap in educational facilities is quite big between rural areas and cities, not only in the teaching quality, but also peoples' attitudes and the atmosphere in schools. Many people think study is useless, and I saw some of my classmates dropping out even after middle school."

About 60,000 outstanding students from rural areas will benefit from the program this year. New recruits will also receive financial aid and study support from schools to help them overcome any obstacles in their way.

Guo Juan is deputy director of the Office of Student Affairs at Fudan University.

"Our principle is once these students enter the universities through lower requirements, we will help them cross the gap and make sure they are as good as any other student upon graduation."

The universities will also offer help in terms of psychological support, development planning as well as overseas exchange programs to broaden the students' views and brighten their futures.

Gaokao is widely believed the fairest platform currently for young Chinese seeking a promising future.

Many parents deem the exam to be a fate-changer for their families if their children can be enrolled by top universities.

But at the same time, debates over the exam have persisted.

One of the top concerns is that the exam only shows students' test skills, but doesn't prove their quality.

It's also blamed for contributing to disparities in education levels and resources among high schools as prestigious schools can attract students while the rest can't.