President of Peking University said in Beijing recently that admission exams for graduate schools should be cancelled ultimately nevertheless an abrupt change of the existing admission policy is not feasible.

Xu Zhihong, a recognized biologist, said he advocates to stop the national exams for admissions of graduate school students, and individual schools should be authorized to choose students instead.

"Candidates to graduate schools should be carefully reviewed and appraised on their academic merits and other capabilities," Xu said, "but written exams are not the only form for appraisal and selection."

Chinese students usually sit for state-organized exams for their entrance into the higher-learning institutions.

Although students who are interested in applying for admissions to Peking University still have to sit for written tests, Xu said, the admission offices are weighing more on recommendations and interviews.

Keeping abreast with the admission policy change, Peking University began to charge tuitions for all graduate students but offer generous scholarships to 90 percent of students.

Tuitions of graduate students were usually paid by the government in the past decades. Most graduate students even got nominal living allowances from the government.

(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2008)