China to tighten assessments for postgraduates

BEIJING - The assessment of postgraduates will be tightened as part of postgraduate education reform, according to a guideline issued by the Ministry of Education, National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance on Friday.

Postgrad students' academic papers will be more strictly assessed and examined, according to the guideline, which added that those who conduct unethical behavior when writing their dissertations will lose their degrees.

The guideline said those who teach students who commit academic fraud will be punished, adding that teachers should make more efforts to teach their students about ethics and scientific principles.

The guideline also specifies a supervisory mechanism jointly set up by educational departments, academic institutes and social organizations.

Learning institutions' right to grant degrees will be revoked if multiple cases of academic fraud are spotted, it added.

In 2012, China had 1.72 million incumbents working on postgraduate degrees.