A teenage student from China, initially celebrated for her exceptional performance in a mathematics competition, has been found to have cheated, according to competition officials. Jiang Ping , who studies fashion design at a rural vocational school in Jiangsu province, garnered significant attention in June after securing the 12th position in the qualifying round of an international mathematics competition organised by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, BBC reported. Her achievement was particularly noteworthy as she became the first student from a vocational institution to reach the finals since the competition's inception in 2018.
The competition typically sees finalists from prestigious universities. Her apparent success made her an immediate sensation, with media outlets and social platforms celebrating her as a mathematical genius . In China's highly competitive educational environment, academic achievements receive substantial recognition.
Jiang's apparent success resonated with many, who viewed it as evidence that vocational students could achieve academic excellence. However, following growing speculation about her capabilities, organisers said on Sunday that Jiang had breached competition rules during the preliminary round by receiving assistance from her teacher, who was also participating in the competition. The organisers acknowledged their shortcomings, stating: “This has exposed problems like inadequacies in the competition format and the lack of rigour in sup.