Chinese authorities are tightening security for this year’s university entrance exams to stop students from using smart devices to cheat.
The gaokao, which begins on 7 June, is one of the most important tests in China and will be taken by nearly 13 million students hoping to secure university places.
Education officials in several provinces have announced that candidates wearing glasses will face additional screening before entering halls to take the National College Entrance Examination.
The measures are aimed at preventing students from bringing in smart glasses equipped with cameras, wireless communication functions or artificial intelligence tools.
In Guangdong province, students will be asked to remove their glasses during security checks so that exam staff can inspect them, China Daily reported. Similar rules have been announced in Shanghai, while authorities in Inner Mongolia autonomous region have instructed students who normally use smart glasses to switch to ordinary prescription eyewear during the examination period.
Officials in other provinces, including Hebei and Guizhou, have issued similar guidance as concerns grow over the increasing availability of wearable technology.
China has steadily strengthened exam security in recent years. Many testing centres now use a combination of electronic detection systems and manual inspections to identify prohibited items before candidates enter exam rooms.
🇨🇳 China's national college entrance exam papers get their own escort vehicles! ✨
— Cici (@cici_grj) June 5, 2026
Traffic police officers are everywhere keeping everything safe and in order!
Over 12 million students are taking the Gaokao this year!
Chinese tech has come such a long way! pic.twitter.com/shnWlCb9ER
Under China’s examination regulations, bringing any device capable of transmitting or receiving information into an examination venue is considered cheating, regardless of whether the device is actually used. Violators can have all of their exam results cancelled.
China’s ministry of education recently reminded students to follow examination rules and cited a 2022 case in which a candidate secretly brought a mobile phone into an examination hall. The student photographed the test paper and shared the images in an online chat group in an attempt to obtain answers before being identified by authorities.
“Do not destroy your future for a moment of carelessness,” the ministry said in its advisory to students preparing for the 2026 exam.
The tighter checks come as smart glasses have become increasingly popular in China. Several major technology companies have launched their own versions of the devices, which often include cameras, voice assistants and internet connectivity.
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