A total of 930,000 applicants took the national service exam on Sunday, with one out of 33, on average, expected to get a job with the central government this year - the best odds in seven years.

The number of applicants on Sunday exceeded last year's figure by 30,000, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. A record 27,817 civil service jobs were being offered by central government departments and subsidiaries.

More than 460,000 applicants who signed up for the exam didn't show up on Sunday.