With this year's highly competitive college entrance exam approaching, educators are weighing reforms to the system.

The exam, known as the gaokao, is of vital importance to millions of students and their families, as well as other stakeholders, said Tan Songhua, of the Ministry of Education's educational development research center.

It is of utmost importance that changes to the system are carried out in a prudent and steady manner, and that they balance numerous conflicting interests, Tan said.