12-year-old Student’s Cancer Research Called Out

News of a 12-year-old student surnamed Chen in Kunming, Yunnan Province winning third prize in a national youth innovation competition sparked outcry after it was reported his submitted paper on colon cancer had a lot of extra help - from his parents and friends at the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS). The paper first raised suspicions among experts online for its advanced terminology and complex analysis that would challenge a graduate student in the field. Under pressure, the contest organizer investigated and found the bulk of the paper was penned by Chen’s teachers, parents and other members of his parents’ team at CAS. Chen observed and helped with some experiments. Because academic competition wins earn students extra points on the national entrance exams for high school and college, netizens warned this form of cheating would thrive without proper supervision.