Only after 15 minutes standing in front of a handset shielding machine, could a healthy man endure it no longer due to feeling dizzy and nauseous, the Chinese newspaper Legal Daily reported lately.    

What is the machine? It is called handset shielding machine. What for? People say it could scramble phone signals. 

Last year, several provinces in China, such as Shandong, Heilongjiang and Liaoning, used the shielding machines to administrate both senior high school and college entrance exams. The provinces regarded it as a good way of "prevent cheating" from the examination takers. Other  provinces are said to be planning to join the list this year and use the same magic machines in the own examinations.  

But, the using of the shielding machines in examination places has really become a much disputed issue, as experts have stood out and expressed their deep concern. They think this kind of machines harmful and are worried about the damage they do to those taking the exams.         

"Radiation generated by the shielding instruments may impair brain cells, crystalline lens and man's reproductive system," Tang Tai, inventor of the handset shielding machine in China, made it clear.

"I invented the machine just for special purpose use rather than for use in places where examinations take place," he recalled, stressing "It's irresponsible for educational departments to apply the technology, disregarding the side effects."

Tang, also an engineer with the renowned Tsinghua University, has repeatedly called for a quick ban on using his own invention -- shielding technology in the examinations.

To the cries from the experts and the public, Beijing is to give this year's senior high school and college entrance exams "shielding machine free" next month. "No such machines will be used in the examination rooms," the Beijing Education Examinations Authority announced.

Nevertheless, some provinces do not heed much differing opinions and criticisms on the matter. Among them, Shandong and Henan for example, will not put aside the machines, rather on the contrary, they will rely on them in the college entrance exams next month.

"We haven't found any case that the use of in the exams has any physical impact upon the students, so we will continue the use to shield mobile phone signals in college entrance exams," Zheng Guanzhou of Henan Education Examinations Authority said to the media.

Is handset shielding machine physically harmful to the examination takers or helpful to the education administrator? No simple answer and the controversy over the machine issue will go on in some parts of China for some time. 

(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2006)