GUANGZHOU'S education authorities have relaxed a controversial ban forbidding National College Entrance Examinations (NCEE) examinees from going to the bathroom.

Guangzhou's 2005 NCEE guideline allowed students to go to the bathroom as long as a supervisor accompanied them "when the students really feel unwell," and return to the exam venues to complete the test, the Guangzhou Daily reported Sunday.

Guangdong's education authorities last year forbad NCEE participants from leaving test venues before finishing the test to stop people cheating on exams. Test organizers warned students against drinking too much water before the test, for fear of going to the bathroom during the test. The ban caused widespread controversy, and critics described it as "inhumane."

However, the 2005 guideline still forbids students "in normal condition" from using toilets, although it does not specify what "normal condition" is and what is a real need. "In normal condition," students have to submit the test paper before leaving the test venues, the guideline says.

The 2005 guideline is still watchful of test loopholes. It says if a student receives a wrong test paper, the student will have to submit the paper to test organizers and sit the remaining tests in a separate room until the subject on the wrong paper is tested.

The guideline also promises to help students.

Test organizers will provide spare stationery for students who forget to bring pens and pencils to examination venues, the guideline says.

If the test organizers wrongly sound the starting or finishing bells and result in shortened test time, they will have to make up for the lost time for the students, says the guideline.

If the examinees damage the answering sheets or test papers, organizers should give them replacements.

Editor: Wing