Number of students sitting DSE exams slumps to record low

The number of students taking the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education exams in April has slumped to a record low, with only 50,064 candidates taking the university entrance exam this April.

This marks a plunge of around 39 percent from the 82,000 takers in 2013, the year after the exams were launched, according to the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority.

Among the candidates this year, around 90 percent - 43,032 - are school candidates, while the rest are private candidates.

Among the school candidates, around 70 percent of them will take the exam with a subject combination of four core subjects with two elective subjects - the minimal university entrance requirement, while 20 percent of them opt for an extra elective subject.

A total of 107 candidates - less than 1 percent of the total candidates - signed up to take eight examinations. The eight subjects will comprise four core subjects and four elective subjects.

Biology remained the most popular elective, with around 25 percent of all candidates taking the exam for the subject.

Chemistry and economics came in second and third, with around 24 percent taking either one.

While three subjects - Integrated Science, Music, and Technology and Living - have the least candidates entered, which will only be taken by less than 1 percent of all candidates.