China installs high‑tech security network for national university exam

China’s Gaokao university entrance exam, scheduled for about 12.9 million candidates in 2026, is protected by a comprehensive security system that treats the test papers as top‑secret state material. The exams are designed, printed in isolated facilities often located in secure prisons, and transported in armored, GPS‑tracked vehicles under continuous satellite surveillance.

Inside test centres, AI‑enhanced facial‑recognition cameras, infrared sensors and metal‑detector gates monitor every entrance. Three‑layer steel doors require multiple keys or codes held by separate officials, and only a handful of vetted staff are allowed inside. Specialized SWAT‑type police accompany the transport and oversee the secure storage rooms, making any attempt to cheat virtually impossible.