Record 13.4 million sit for gaokao nationwide

China's annual college entrance examination, known as the gaokao, began on Friday with a record-breaking 13.42 million students taking the test nationwide.

The high-pressure exam has a direct bearing on the higher education trajectory and future career growth of students, as they need to score well in the gaokao to gain admission into the nation's top colleges.

While local authorities have ramped up efforts to ensure the smooth conduct of the prestigious examination, which runs through Monday, teachers and parents pulled out all the stops to boost the confidence of test-takers.