Two arrested after exposé of identity fraud in China's college entrance exams
Undercover journalist tells of college students hired to sit national university entrance tests
An undercover journalist's exposé of a syndicate that hires university students to sit the national college entrance examinations has led to the arrest of at least two people taking the tests in Jiangxi province.
Jiangxi police and education authorities launched an investigation into the scandal amid a public outcry yesterday as 9.4 million pupils across the mainland started the annual two-day exams.
"A fair higher-education examination is critical to all pupils sitting the exam, and also for social stability," the Ministry of Education said.
"Any act of fabrication of identification cards [and] exam permits … as well as the hiring of replacements to sit the exams will result in disqualification and temporary suspension from taking national exams."
Offenders could face criminal charges, the statement added.
The move came after an undercover reporter with exposed a syndicate for hiring college students from Hubei province to sit the exams in Nanchang , Jiangxi.
The report alleged that at least six people, including the journalist, were taking the examinations in No.10 Nanchang Secondary School, equipped with fake identity cards and examination permits.
