A postgraduate candidate with a historical past of abusing cats was rejected by two high Chinese universities, sparking discussions just lately on the significance of ethical evaluation in the course of the admission course of.
The pupil, surnamed Xu, was accused of abusing cats at his dormitory at Southeast University in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, and posting the movies on-line in February. One of the clips exhibits him placing a cat right into a bucket of water and treading on its head.
Nanjing’s public safety bureau launched an investigation and interviewed Xu and his mother and father. Xu had admitted wrongdoing and promised to not repeat related behaviors, it mentioned.
The engineering graduate utilized for a grasp’s program at Nanjing University’s School of Physics late final yr. An enrollment report confirmed earlier this month that he was rejected by the college, regardless that he had the very best complete rating among the many candidates.
Many assumed that the refusal was associated to Xu’s historical past of animal abuse, as a number of netizens instructed the college that Xu had severe ethical points.
Admissions workers responded that they comprehensively evaluated candidates’ performances in postgraduate entrance examinations and interviews, and his abuse of cats might have affected their resolution.
After the refusal from Nanjing University, Xu was discovered on a ready record for Lanzhou University, in Gansu province.
Since final week, netizens commenting on the college’s Sina Weibo micro weblog account urged the college to be cautious about enrolling Xu.
Comments corresponding to “Don’t settle for college students with dangerous behaviors” and “Morality prevails over intelligence and tutorial efficiency” dominated the posts in recent days.
On Monday night time, the School of Nuclear Science and Technology at Lanzhou University launched its admission record — with out Xu’s title — marking the second refusal from a high college.
Despite the overwhelmingly detrimental opinions expressed on social media platforms, public opinion chief Hu Xijin, a former editor-in-chief of Global Times, known as on Sunday for Xu to be given a chance as a young person simply starting his life journey.
“Posting the video of animal abuse was clearly a severe mistake, indicating his potential psychological points,” Hu mentioned. “However, society ought to present the coed with a chance for correction, permitting this young person to have prospects and hope.”
He mentioned denying Xu admission to Nanjing University was already extreme punishment, and he hoped Xu actually regrets his actions and reshapes his values, and that public opinion doesn’t “hunt him down”.
“I additionally hope that after his path to turn out to be a postgraduate pupil is interrupted, different avenues will likely be open for him,” Hu mentioned.
