India’s and China’s civil-service exams are notoriously difficult
They impose big costs on both societies
Cigarette butts, spectacle lenses and car tyres. Which of those items contain plastic? Papaya, pineapple, guava. How many of those fruits were brought to India by the Portuguese? Last month around half a million Indians sat down to answer such questions, which were eclectic, but high-stakes. They were part of the exam to join India’s civil service.
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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Multiple choices”
From the June 21st 2025 edition
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