Civil service not what it's made out to be

The Chinese media have been agog with reports on the possibility of some civil servants quitting their jobs and going into business. They will do so, the reports say, because the central government's eight-point code to reduce bureaucratism and maintain close ties with the people has, to some extent, truncated their welfare and perks.

Contrary to popular belief, most civil servants don't live a life of luxury and leisure, and some of them have to even work overtime and during the weekends. The average salary of junior local-level officials is about 2,000 yuan ($330) a month, a relatively low amount given the rising prices. The truth is, most public servants can barely manage to make both ends meet.

This has created a peculiar situation: Some young public servants regret channeling all their efforts into getting a government job, while quite a number of college graduates, encouraged by their parents, try their best to become civil servants. The situation resembles that of "a besieged city", with people outside desperate to get in and those inside dying to get out.