China's military has employed more than 6,000 civil personnel to serve in non-combat positions, sources with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) said on Friday.

In some positions, ten applicants applied for one job. Up to 32 percent of the successful applicants had just graduated from universities, including the prestigious Peking University and Tsinghua University, according to PLA's General Political Department.

In June 2005, the State Council and the Central Military Commission decided to introduce a system of employing contract civilians to fill some support posts in the military, so that active-duty officers, who are limited in number, mainly take up command and combat posts.

In 2006, the PLA started the employment of contract civilians.

These civil servants work in fields ranging from education, research and engineering to medical care, sports, cultural activities, management and logistic services.

The PLA currently has 2.3 million troops after significant downsizing moves.

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2007)