近年来，“科举学”研究开始兴盛，研究者们对科举制度不再一味地批判，为科举正名者不在少数。重新审视科举制度时，应该看到它在中国历史上曾经起到某些促进作用，保证了中国文官体制的完整性、连续性，让国家机器可以正常运转;促进了中国教育事业的深入发展，自唐代以来几乎所有政治家、思想家、文学家皆出身科举。但科举制度也有明显的负面影响，其中最主要的影响就是以考试为主要形式的选官制度，促使中国形成了影响至今的、普遍的“官本位”心态。中国目前实行的公务员考试制度，又有反复传统“官本位”思想的趋势。

The study of imperial examination is blooming in recent years. Researchers no longer always criticize imperial examination and think that imperial examination played a good role in Chinese history. Now we reconsider the imperial examination system which kept Chinese bureaucratic system in whole form and promoted the development of China education. Almost all the important politicians, philosophers and writers in Chinese history came from the old examination system. However, we must realize that the old system also had bad effects in Chinese history. We can find the shadow of the old system in modern civil service examination. The thought of official standard which is very common in China still control many Chinese mind.