Bonus-point system for

The Ministry of Education is tightening up a preferential policy that awards bonus points in the national college entrance exams, or gaokao, to students with exceptional ability in the sciences and sports, amid recent worries about abuse of the system.

The ministry is reducing the number of slots for such students and limiting the events that entitle them to the bonus points starting with this year’s college admission period, according to a statement posted on its website on Monday.

“The new policy is meant to ensure the equity of college admissions by reducing the threat of fraud and abuse,” said Chu Zhaohui, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Education.

Education analysts expect the amendment to help boost transparency, following a scandal involving the athletic achievement certificates of a group of students in Benxi, Liaoning province.

Eighty-seven out of more than 1,000 graduates from Benxi Senior Middle School who took the entrance exam in June had national-level athletics certificates that are good for 10 extra points, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Many viewed that number as suspiciously high — roughly equal to the total 89 certificates given to students in another five cities in Liaoning combined.

Twenty-five of the student athletes also received extra points for swimming skills even though their school didn’t have swimming facilities.

Zhu Tiejun, director of the city’s college admission office, confirmed with Xinhua that all the student athletes’ certificates were legitimate. But the reassurance failed to assuage public concern over the issue.

“It’s easy for some resourceful parents to help their children pass the certification tests organized by local sports authorities without too much supervision. I’ve long heard about it,” said Yu Liuyang, a student who enrolled at Beijing Sport University with 10 extra points for basketball talent.

Under the ministry’s latest amendment, the number of sports recognized for the bonus has been reduced to 17 this year from 70 previously. It accepts popular activities such as basketball, soccer and other athletics. Seventeen provinces will reduce the bonus points awarded from 20 points to 10 or below, while another eight jurisdictions will stop offering the extra points to student athletes altogether.

The preferential policy for winners of academic Olympiads, including math, physics,