The annual national college entrance examination for the 62 quake-ravaged counties and districts in Sichuan and Gansu provinces was postponed until July 3 to 5, the Ministry of Education said on Monday.

The national college exam took place over the weekend. A record 10.38 million students participated in the exam, the largest of its kind in the world.

The ministry allowed a total of 120,000 students in the quake-hit areas, including 45 counties in Sichuan and 17 counties in Gansu, to have a grace period to offset the physical and psychological effect resulting from the May 12 8.0-magnitude quake, which centered on Wenchuan County of Sichuan and claimed nearly 70,000 lives so far.

The provincial governments of Sichuan and Gansu seriously worked over the issue and set the exam date following the permission of the education ministry.

According to the ministry, the order of exam subjects will not change. The ethnic minority language exam, a part of the college entrance exam, will be on July 5.

The ministry ordered local governments to well arrange the lives of test-takers and ensure their safety.

It also asked colleges nationwide to offer 2 percent more placements than what they had previously planned for the Sichuan candidates. Students who were brave in rescue and relief work would receive preference in college enrolment this summer.

"More preferential policies are underway to ensure quake-hit students enjoy priorities in enrolment," it said.

Reports across the country show that exam papers have been protected well and the order in and around exam venues were sound and smooth. There was no aftershock in the quake-affected areas during exam time, according to the ministry.

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2008)