In the early days of reform and opening up, the college entrance examination was actually equivalent to the ancient imperial examination.

The formal implementation of non-package distribution began with 1996, and it was not implemented on a large scale until after 1998. By 2000, the package distribution system was completely stopped. The Ministry of Education requires that from 2000, the National Employment Dispatch Certificate and the National Employment Dispatch Certificate for Postgraduates from ordinary colleges and universities should be stopped, and the National Employment Dispatch Certificate and the National Graduation Certificate for graduates from ordinary colleges and universities should be enabled.

Canceling the distribution of packages is an established reform goal since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, and another supporting reform is that the state will no longer bear the tuition fees of college students.