Extra time

Having submitted several applications to the local examining authority, Han was also allowed to take each test in a separate room, away from the other students. Moreover, as she entered the room Han was informed that the time allotted for the tests would be extended by 30 percent.

"The extra time was a great help to me because I write very slowly," she said.

While welcome, the added duration also had a downside. During the final 30 minutes of the Chinese language exam, Han began to tremble uncontrollably as a result of writing for 145 minutes without a break, which posed a huge physical challenge.

"I did not tell the teacher about the trembling because I was busy filling in the answer sheet. I knew the answers to the questions, and I was not going to let my physical condition hold me back," she said.

"I'm glad I took the exam because it gave me the opportunity to compete with the other students."

A pivotal moment

The gaokao is a pivotal moment for high school students because their scores will largely determine their future - whether they can attend university, which institutions will accept them and consequently what careers await them.

The assistance Han received meant she did well enough to be admitted to a vocational college in Guangdong, majoring in community management and service.

However, not every student is as fortunate, and some have even been denied assistance.

When he was a sophomore in high school, Wang Haoran began paying attention to changes in education policies.

In 2016, Wang, who has albinism and is visually impaired, visited the local higher education admission office in Liaoyuan, Jilin province, six times to apply for assistance when he took the gaokao.

He requested that his test papers carried large-print characters and also asked for the duration of each test to be extended, both of which are listed as required assistive measures by the Ministry of Education.

Initially, the officials told Wang to submit his application along with several documents, including his disabled certificate and a doctor's diagnosis.