Exam bans for college enrollment ID theft

People who cheat during college enrollment by providing fake identity information or stealing others' identities will be disqualified and will not be allowed to take the national college entrance exam for up to three years, according to draft amendments to the Education Law.

The Ministry of Education submitted the draft amendments to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, for first review on Wednesday.

Other punishments include the revocation of degrees or certificates obtained if they have already graduated, while those who have become public servants will be dismissed, the draft said.

It also said people who permit others to use their names or identities to enter college will be forbidden from taking college entrance exams for one to three years and any illegal income they obtained in return will be confiscated.

The draft added that people working in government departments who are found to be involved in such incidents and engage in behaviors like abuse of power, malpractice, bribery and falsifying official documents will be punished and those guilty of serious irregularities will be held criminally liable.

Tian Xuejun, vice-minister of education, said the changes were proposed in the draft in response to people's concerns and to protect equality in education.

Identity theft for college enrollment and equality in education have caught people's attention since two cases in Shandong province were exposed in June.

In the two cases, which occurred in 1996 and 2004, two female students lost the opportunity to attend college after their identities were stolen by others to gain access to higher education.

Dozens of people involved in the two cases received punishments ranging from warnings and demotions to dismissal.

In late December, an amendment to the Criminal Law passed by the NPC Standing Committee stipulated that those stealing others' identities for the purpose of seeking college enrollment, employment or other benefits would be fined and could be sentenced to up to three years in prison.

Tian said the Education Law came into effect in 1995 and has been revised twice, in 2009 and 2015.

Cao Yin contributed to this story.