About 25 Chinese provinces recently held their annual civil service exams, but it came out afterward that the exam questions may have been leaked. Officials are now investigating.

A total of more than 4 million candidates nationwide sat for the exam, setting a record high for recent years.

Netizens from Jiangxi province disclosed that some people were selling answers for about 2000 yuan ($307) before the test started. Pictures of the tests were also posted online.

On April 24, the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Jiangxi province said on its official Weibo account that the department takes this information very seriously, and an investigation has already begun.

The department also published a phone number and e-mail address for people to call or write in with complaints or other information.

A candidate from eastern Anhui province disclosed on Weibo that test papers in his city of Chuzhou had been sealed before the test was administered. He hoped the investigation would be successful so that all the exam candidates would be on equal footing.

Liu Jianjun, an official from the Chuzhou Human Resource and Social Security Bureau of Anhui province, guessed that the test paper packages probably wore open during transportation, which would explain why some were not properly sealed. “It is not possible that the test was leaked,” he added.

An official with the State Administration of Civil Service said that concerned departments will intensify their efforts to fight against cheating in these exams. Cheating on national exams, including the examination for admission to the civil service, has been listed as a criminal offence in the newly amended Criminal Law of China, the official added.