China's university applicants could be asked to prove their fitness before they are enrolled on degree courses amid fears that the physical health of the Chinese youth is on the decline, according to a new proposal by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

The MOE also plans to raise the physical test standard for students, aged 15 and 16, who wish to enrol in senior high schools.

"Increasing the weighting of the physical test result in a student's overall academic score which affects whether or not they are enrolled in a senior high school is a nationwide trend," a senior official with the ministry told a press conference.

The weighting of the physical test, which is made up of a 50-meter dash, long jump and shot put, varies around the country but in Jiangsu Province, it counts for seven percent of the total mark of a student applying for a senior high school place.

"The results of physical tests taken during senior high schools will be recorded in students' academic files," Liao Wenke, a vice-director with the ministry, said.

"The results can then be reviewed as an important reference by universities and other higher educational institutes in enrolling students," Liao added.

The ministry is also considering using the physical test resultas a way to split two university applicants who achieve the same mark in written examinations.

The proposal comes after a survey, conducted by the ministry, that showed, despite an obvious increase in Chinese students' height in recent years, an overall decline in their physical strength.

The survey, involving 380,000 students across the nation, revealed a sharp increase in the number of students between the ages of seven and 18 who were overweight.

The survey also found that, in 2005, Chinese students jumped anaverage of three centimeters less in the long jump compared with 2000.

The ministry urged schools throughout the country to improve their sports facilities so students could build up their body strength.

"Courts, gymnasiums and fields should be open to young people, encouraging them to do more physical exercise," it said.

Editor: Wing