Top student chooses to work as chengguan

A graduate from Tsinghua University, one of the top universities in China, has chosen to work as an urban management officer, or chengguan, a highly controversial occupation.

The 25-year-old man, surnamed Wei, applied for the chengguan position in two districts in Liuzhou, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, local media reported.

He scored the highest on the exams among the candidates, and performed well in an interview the report said.

The main responsibility of the job is to monitor the sanitary conditions of the streets, with a monthly pay of 1,600 yuan ($261). Moreover, reports about chengguan having conflicts with street vendors have increased in recent years, with some people questioning the urban management system.

As a result, some people have questioned why a man with a good education background would apply for such a job.

Wei said he did not try to search for job in the first two years after graduation because he was afraid of the pressure that came with employment.

According Xinhua News Agency, more Tsinghua graduates are picking grassroots jobs, with nearly 50 percent choosing to work outside Beijing last year.

According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, employment pressure for college graduates is increasing, with 3 million new graduates having difficulties finding a job.