Diversification of subject combinations in the National College Entrance Examination and educational reforms in senior secondary schools: findings from China’s policies on college admissions

China’s reforms on the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) include diversification of subject combinations, which have a profound influence on senior secondary school (SSS) education. Although existing studies have paid attention to this issue, only a few were able to provide insightful explanations. This study uses a grounded theory approach to analyse the interview data of 42 major SSS leaders. It develops an in-depth understanding of how the diversification of NCEE subject combinations affects SSSs. Two main aspects of the findings are identified. First, diversification of the NCEE subject combinations has changed the educational goals and development strategies of SSSs, increased organisational and management difficulties, and required students to have a sense of active growth. Second, teacher quality gaps, along with disparities in school infrastructure and facilities, have led to significant differences between urban and rural SSSs. This study argues that the issue of diversifying NCEE subject combinations is not a case of ‘the more, the better’. How well this test scheme will be implemented in the future is rather a question of striking the right balance between effectiveness in student selection and practicality.