A total of 21,756 students in Datong city in North China's Shanxi province have begun taking the annual national college entrance exam or gaokao -- which starts on June 7 and lasts two to four days, depending on the location.

Datong set up 740 exam halls at 20 test sites for the gaokao there. 

To create a safe and quiet examination environment for the candidates, the city assigned full-time deputy examiners responsible for novel coronavirus epidemic prevention and controls at each test site. 

It has prepared isolated examination rooms and set up temperature measurement sites and channels at test site entrances, to conduct temperature measurements of those entering the test sites.

Each test site has also prepared a stock of epidemic prevention and control materials in advance. In addition, they have carried out environmental sanitation, disinfection and ventilation procedures. 

Schematic diagrams of the test rooms and reminder display boards have been installed in the test site, so that candidates could easily find their way.

Staff members related to the gaokao have carried out on-site drills, to ensure that all examination staff members are familiar with the process and emergencies can be dealt with in a timely and effective manner.