China has ordered a major reduction in routine tests for primary and secondary school students, aiming to curb excessive testing and academic pressure on students, the Ministry of Education said on Wednesday.

A guideline issued by the ministry strictly limits exam frequency: written tests are banned for grades 1-2 at primary school level. Other primary school grades are restricted to only one final exam per semester, and middle schools are allowed one final exam and an additional midterm exam.

High schools should also strictly limit test times while cross-school or district-wide exams are prohibited for all non-graduating classes, the guideline said.

The rules demand higher-quality test design, requiring questions to align with curriculum standards and avoid obscure or overly tricky content.

Schools cannot buy ready-made tests; those lacking design capacity will use papers provided by education authorities, it said. A strict review system has been introduced, with at least three reviewers assessing each paper for compliance, accuracy, and correct values orientation.

Importantly, exam results in compulsory education must use a grade-based system instead of scores, and cannot be publicly ranked. The focus should shift to diagnosing learning gaps and guiding teaching.

Education departments will train teachers in test design and explore using artificial intelligence in exam processes. Violations will be investigated, with designers, reviewers, and schools held jointly accountable.

A senior official with the ministry's department of basic education said regular assessments in primary and secondary schools play a significant role in assessing learning and teaching conditions and improving educational practices.

However, in recent years, some localities and schools have encountered issues such as inadequate management of exams, excessive frequency of testing, poorly designed test questions, insufficient review procedures, and inappropriate use of assessment results. These problems have imposed unnecessary academic burdens on students, undermining their well-rounded development and healthy growth, he said.

Cui Shifeng, principal of the Hefei Primary School of Arts in Anhui province, said the guideline aims to better regulate frequent exams, improve test quality, and steer education evaluation toward a more scientific and holistic approach.

He noted that excessive testing in some areas has not only increased students' workloads but also contributed to anxiety and unhealthy competition. "Reducing exam frequency helps restore the educational purpose of assessment, relieves psychological stress, and minimizes any negative impact on students' physical and mental health," Cui explained.

While written exams remain a primary method of academic evaluation in the short term, overreliance on scores has led to a narrow focus on testing in teaching and learning.

This has also caused undue anxiety among parents regarding their children's performance.

Cui emphasized that the guideline encourages schools to move away from using exams as the sole measure of teaching quality.

"The shift toward diversified and constructive assessment methods will take time, but it is essential for fostering creativity and comprehensive development," he added.