Past has a way of tripping one up

Tong Zhuo, a popular singer, dropped a bombshell when he revealed in a video that went viral in May that he had faked his identity to sit the national college entrance examination, or gaokao, in 2013. Following an investigation, Tong's degree was canceled and 15 officials were punished.

The incident was again in the news on Monday night after a micro-blogger posted excerpts from a book published by Law Press online citing Tong's case to warn government staff against engaging in malpractices.

As the case involved an entertainment star, the post soon went viral as "entertainment news", being reposted by many accounts.

However, there is more to the case than mere gossip. After all, there has been a serious violation by 15 employees holding State-sponsored positions. Also, as rightly pointed out by many on social networking sites, Tong, though a public personality, had not cultivated the image of a responsible citizen or student.

Tong wanted to apply to the Central Academy of Drama. The academy requires that all applicants be first-time gaokao takers, but Tong had failed to clear the test in the past. That is when his stepfather contacted some government officials, who gave him a new identity, thus enabling him to sit for the exam again, but under another name.

Tong cleared gaokao this time, but when he enrolled in the CAD, he clearly deprived another deserving applicant of his chance.

That is why when he confessed to malpractice in May, the revelation immediately made headlines on social networking sites and the authorities in Shanxi province launched an investigation.

Within weeks, Tong was stripped of his degree and officials responsible penalized.

That the incident is in the news again should serve as a warning to all officials that if they violate the rules, they will be punished some day.