A high school senior studies behind piles of books at a school in Handan city, North China's Hebei province, May 18, 2021. (Photo: IC)

A record 10.78 million students around China are expected to take the all-important national college entrance exam this year, or gaokao, from Monday to Tuesday, Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The number marks a slight increase from 10.71 million last year. The number of test centers and monitors has also increased, Xinhua said.

The gaokao was postponed for a month to July 7 and 8 last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.