BEIJING - The Chinese military on Sunday launched its first written examination for recruiting "civilian personnel."

More than 140,000 participants sat the exam in 42 cities in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. Around one in 15 candidates will be recruited, a military source said.

The People's Liberation Army started recruiting "civilian personnel" in July. The recruitment drive, approved by the Central Military Commission, is the first of its kind since deeper reform was introduced to the national defense and armed forces in late 2015.

Data showed that 86 percent of candidates held a bachelor's degree or above and 16 percent graduated with a master's degree or above.

Among candidates for positions related to teaching, scientific research, engineering and health care, 29 percent had a master's degree or above.
Candidates can access their results on the Military Talent website before mid-October.

In the military, "civilian personnel" refers to those who work in management or professional technical posts. They perform the duties of civilian positions in peace time, but work in active service if necessary, according to a revised regulation on civilian personnel made public in November.