Editor’s note: eChinacities has previously talked about the systematic corruption evident in the education system in Guangzhou when a meticulously kept chart of kickbacks was made public on the internet, and it seems there’s much further to go down the rabbit hole.

Cai Rongsheng was detained in Shenzhen on November 27 for trying to use a fake passport to flee abroad. This Chinese translated article reveals Cai Rongsheng is just one of a long list and explains just how systematic corruption in China’s University recruitment process has been. It appears that everything of any value can be bought for a price, even if it’s as simple as a signature on a diploma.

Source: zieak

Investigated Renmin Department Head Reveals Hidden Secrets

Renmin University recently confirmed that Cai Rongsheng, the former director of student recruitment, is under investigation on suspicion of corruption and illegally breaking regulation. It is understood that Hu Juan, acting principal of the school, has also been relieved of his position.

However, this reporter has discovered that this case is not an anomaly and that corruption in university recruitment is, in fact, the trend. Through the independent recruitment system, recruitment officers are able to garner bribes by making exceptions, breaking regulations or exchanging majors.

A spokesperson for Renmin University would not disclose details of the investigation into Cai Rongsheng. However, media outlets have been reporting that Cai Rongsheng accepted bribes and exploited opportunities during independent and advance recruitment.

Those who came before: previous examples of recruitment corruption cases

In the eyes of some university instructors, the job of a university recruiter is a “lucrative post”. In 2010 Yu Xingchang, the vice head of the education department in Jilin Province, was sentenced to life imprisonment for accepting 8.02 million RMB in bribes. Yu would solicit these bribes when students were choosing a school, having their examination scores recorded, or changing majors.

In 2012, two cadres in charge of recruitment in Liaoning Province were also suspected of taking large sums in bribes and were accordingly investigated by their respective departments. And between 2003 and 2007, Tan Bowen, the former Vice Department Head of Inspections for the Examination Board for the Province of Hunan, was exposed for having admitted 69 students into university without certification. Of the 2.79 million RMB accepted in bribes, most were from allowing students to be admitted via the quota placement process. For qualified students this process ensures students with special skills are admitted, even if their Gaokao scores are not very good. However, it has also become a way to solicit bribes from unqualified students.

“Previously, exposed cases involving corruption in universities would normally be associated with the construction of the building or with funding for research. However, in recent years the role of student recruitment has become a widespread area for corruption,” said Wang Hongwei, Head of the Anti-Corruption Department of the Hall of Inspections, County of Jilin.

Wang went on to say, “Corruption in the recruitment of university students has become increasingly problematic, and is especially evident as the economy prospers. The way that these cases usually transpire is that both sides are willing parties to the bribe; as both sides have committed to a secret deal, this makes it that much more difficult to investigate.”

One position for the quota placement sold for 1 million

The essence of corruption China’s university recruitment process has to do with the authority of rent-seeking and independent recruitment. An industry insider reveals that the original intention of carrying out independent university recruitment is to increase the autonomy of the recruitment process, thus allowing the minority of applicants with a low test score but still excelling in another area to enroll at the school. However, some strange elements have twisted authority and money into corruption through the carrying out of this policy by breaking regulations and exchanging majors.  This corruption severely impacts upon the fairness of the education of students as it facilitates a corrupt official.

An employee at an eastern institution admits, “This quota placement corruption fluctuates with market conditions. Since the number of quota placements have dropped, its value of 20 to 30 thousand RMB increased to 1 million RMB this year.”

A spokesperson for the 211 universities using independent recruitment means recruitment officers take care of students’ “notes” and can autonomously admit students. The influence of independent recruitment is especially prevalent for student applicants of art and physical education majors as this has become a new way by which students with poor marks are able to be accepted into university.

Cash for Favors

The topic of supplementary enrollment is often shrouded in mystery. An employee who works in the office of the university recruitment reveals that after the recruitments are made from the gaokao university examinations each year, some universities turn to supplemental enrollment in order to complete their recruitment drives because they have still not met recruitment targets. Although there are restrictions made upon applicants with low test scores, there is no supervision to ensure bribes are not being solicited.

The practice of wanting to exchange majors has given rise the “purchasing” of majors. Among the many recorded bribes taken by Yu Xingchang, the majority involved examination records or exchanging majors; in fact, the first recorded bribe taken by Yu involved accepting 10,000 RMB to help a student change majors. Industry insiders state that the price for changing majors can be as little as several tens of thousands of RMB or over 100,000 RMB.

Having open transparency is a good strategy

An investigation has revealed that during previous independent recruitment drives, educational departments were requested to be fair and open in their practices. However, they have neglected to make the details of the process open to the public. When it comes to independent recruitment, the process by which academic achievements and results of the written examination, as well as the interview evaluation, are not made public.

“The key to eradicating the “dark shroud” that hides the corruption of university recruitment, and to serve as a stiff dose of medicine for this ailment, is to make this information public,” said Yin Fei, associate professor of the education department of Nanjing Normal University. At the same time as universities are bestowed the right to make independent decisions, so too is it important to implement effective supervision.

Source: iFeng

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Keywords: corruption in universities; recruitment corruption; Cai Rongsheng university recruitment bribes in China Corruption in China’s University recruitment process