The prestigious Peking University informed He Chuanyang, the liberal arts student who made the highest score on the National College Entrance Exam in Chongqing Municipality, on Thursday that he had been declined because his family lied about his ethnicity to get extra points. Hong Kong University declined him within the same day.

The head of the Peking University's admissions office, Liu Mingli, said the university (also known as Beida) will decline all students who are caught using dishonest measures in hopes of being admitted. He added that although Chuanyang cannot go to Beida this year, the university still will open its doors to him in the future as long as he reflects on his mistake and faces reality bravely.

Li, director of mainland affairs for Hong Kong University, said Chuanyang was declined because he did not qualify based on his oral English skills.

Chuanyang's father, He Yada, was director of Wushan County's College Entrance Examination Office. His mother, Lu Lingqiong, was deputy director of the organization department of the Party's Wushan Committee. Both have lost their jobs because of the cheating. Wan Minqiang, chairman of Wushan's Science Commission and a former head of the county's Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau, also has been dismissed for approving the application by the senior He to change his son's ethnicity.

Chuanyang reached Beida's standard even without the extra points, scoring 659 points of 750 points on the exam.

He Yada said his son was very disappointed and anxious after hearing the news. Chuanyang's mother said she had hoped Beida would give Chuanyang a chance because, unbeknownst to him, she and her husband had changed his ethnicity when he was 14.

According to China's education policy, minority students can get an extra 20 points on the gao kao (college entrance examination) as a special government care. Chuanyang is not alone; many parents use all possible measures to make their children do better on the exam. Chongqing officials said they had discovered 31 students faking their ethnicity this year. Their identities and futures have not been released, but they cannot get any extra points now. Chongqing will begin its enrollment process next Thursday. Whether these students will be disqualified for college admission remains to be seen.

Chuanyang's case is causing much debate among Chinese Internet users. In a survey on qq.com, one of China's most popular Web sites, 43.8 percent supported the student, arguing he deserved to get into a good university because of his excellent test score, while 26 percent thought he should be allowed another chance by taking the test again. But a sina.com survey showed only 28.4 percent standing by his side.

Because Chuanyang's only choice was Guanghua School of Management at Beida, it remains to be seen where he will go this fall.

(China.org.cn by Ren Zhongxi, July 3, 2009)