China will try a series of new strategies in admitting students into colleges in the future, including launching multiple entrance exams each year and allowing some universities to select students based on independent tests, a Ministry of Education (MOE) official said on Tuesday in Beijing.

Qu Zhenyuan, a MOE college admissions official, noted future reforms also include Internet-based apprasal of examination results and online enrollment application to forbid any malpractices.

To make the national entrance exams more convenient, the MOE decided to move up the date of examination by one month beginning in 2003. Earlier, it has decided to launch two tests a year instead of one exam.

Chinese colleges enrolled 2.6 million students this year, 390,000 more than last year. At least 1,500 new majors have been set up along with the increase in student numbers.

Schools in 18 provinces this year adopted a new "3 plus x" system, which allows entrance exam takers to be tested on one elective subject outside of the required Chinese, mathematics and politics subjects. China also cancelled marriage and year limits this year to ensure people have equal access to education.

(China Daily December 19, 2001)