Examinees wait in a classroom before the examination starts in Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province, Nov. 29, 2009. (Photo : Xinhua)
Cheaters during the upcoming national civil service exams will be prosecuted as criminal offenders under China’s revised Criminal Laws, according to the State Administration of Civil Service.
Under the revamped laws, test takers caught cheating in the national exams would be sentenced up to three years in prison, held in custody or fined.
In severe cases, violators could face a sentence of up to seven years in prison, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.
China's national-level government agencies, their affiliated public institutions and local branches are planning to recruit 27,000 new civil servants this year, a significant increase compared to around 22,000 in 2014, making it the highest in more than a decade, according to Beijing News.
Incumbent public officials, however, are forbidden to take the national exams this year, while candidates with previous past experience working for local government agencies will be favored.
Most positions in government offices above provincial level will require at least two years of "grassroots" experience, while around 10 percent of vacancies will be set aside for village officials with a college degree, a government statement posted on Xinhua's website said.
The threshold will be lowered for applicants hailing from China's remote areas, including easing the requirements for age, working experience and educational background, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said.
The application period for joining the annual national civil service examinations is set to begin from Oct. 15 and will last until Oct. 24. The written exam will take place on Nov. 29.
