A total of 55,347 university graduates have registered to work in economically backward western regions this year, up 3,353 from last year.

The information was released on Wednesday by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League (CYL).

The CYL Central Committee plan to recruit 6,500 graduates nationwide to work in western provinces in 2006. The registration deadline is May 10. The selection process will begin soon and the final list of names will be released to the public in June.

Zhan Dongjuan, postgraduate of Beijing Forestry University, said she signed to work in the western provinces because of the encouragement and support from the government and her university. She also learnt from her alumni that working in western regions was a rewarding experience.

Statistics from the Ministry of Education showed that a record 4.13 million students nationwide are expected to graduate from universities this summer, an increase of 730,000 over last year and 1.15 million more than in 2001.

The ministry also said about a quarter of last year's college graduates were unemployed.

Facing the slim job market in well-developed eastern areas, some university graduates turned their eyes to the opportunities in western regions.

China initiated a western regions development campaign in 1998, which needs a large number of well-educated people to boost the local economy.

Source: Xinhua