BEIJING, March 20 -- China's Ministry of Education on Wednesday published its annual notice on college enrollment for 2024, pledging to advance the reform of entrance exam and admission policies.

Seven provincial-level regions, including Jilin, Anhui and Guizhou, are urged to implement new policies on the college entrance exam this year, according to the notice.

The ministry said efforts should be made to ensure that the exam focuses on testing not only the knowledge acquired by candidates but also their competence and academic caliber.

The ministry will also step up its crackdown on cheating in exams, particularly that involving high-tech devices, and will work to prevent colleges from adopting improper admission policies, such as excessive scholarships.

In China, college admission relies primarily on the results of the entrance exam. In 2023, a record 12.91 million people sat for the exam.