Most potential army recruits had no problem with a psychological exam, but a basic physical test proved much more difficult to pass, according to the Shanghai Military Recruitment Office.

More than 13,000 men, aged 18 to 22, underwent physical and mental examinations at centers across Shanghai during a recruiting drive that ended yesterday.

Female recruits will be tested separately.

Only 51 percent of the applicants pass the physical exam, which tested their eye sight, hearing, and blood pressure. Some people washed out because they are obese or have chronic diseases.

About 600 of the men who passed the physical examination are college students.

A psychological exam, which was only introduced three years ago and is still only conducted in some parts of the country, proved much easier to pass, as only 5 percent of applicants failed the exam.

"Mental tests are now being held by many different authorities across the country in military recruitment on trial basis — including parts of Shanghai," said an official with the military recruitment office, surnamed Chen.

"The tests will be adopted more often and in more places in the future for recruiting new soldiers."

About 1,500 young men took part in psychological tests held in Xuhui, Luwan, Baoshan and Jiading districts this year.

"The test is widely used by some foreign counterparts. Joining the army means living a very different life in a different environment for young recruits," said Chen, noting many recruits are the only child in their family, and are used to being pampered. "We need to make sure they can handle the stress."

Applicants take a computerized multiple choice test, as well as meeting face-to-face with a psychologist.

The city continues to look for more university trained military recruits, and have opened recruiting up to students at private colleges for the first time this year.

All Chinese men between the ages of 18 and 22 must sign up as potential recruits, but in times of peace it is very easy to avoid joining the army for those who don't want to serve.

Military officials said both the numbers of applicants taking the psychological test and the percentage of those who passed the exam set a record high this year.

The number of people passing the physical exam was also higher this year than it has been in the past few years.

The number of people taking the test was the lowest it has been in several years, however.

(Shanghai Daily November 17, 2005)