by Li Zhuoxi

Chinas Ministry of Education recently unveiled a plan to strengthen the selection and cultivation of innovative talent in certain basic disciplines such as mathematics， physics， chemistry， biology， history， and philosophy.

Students can start signing up for the plan in April. After they take the national college entrance exam （known as the gaokao in China） in early June， 36 participating universities will each release a list of students who qualify for the plan based on their gaokao scores. Those admitted through the plan will join small， independent classes and enjoy optimal teaching resources and learning environments.

From 2020， China will no longer carry out independent enrollment of colleges and universities.