BEIJING: More than nine million students packed exam halls across China for the opening day of the country's university entrance exam on Friday -- with attempts to stop cheating even leading to bans on metal bra clasps.

Students in the northeastern province of Jilin were banned from wearing clothing with metal parts and education authorities installed metal detectors in exam centres to clamp down on "wireless cheating devices", the state-run Global Times reported.

Authorities have become increasingly concerned about the risk of examinees using devices such as smartphones -- some of which have become smaller and easier to hide -- as an illicit aid during tests.

Around 9.12 million high school students were registered across China to sit the crucially important two-day exam, known as the gaokao, an education ministry spokeswoman said.

Officials aimed to crack down on "sales of high-tech gear for cheating, and gaokao-related fraud", the Global Times said.

But users of China's Twitter-like weibos were scornful. "Everyone is paying attention to the bras. What about glasses?" said one.

IvyBlue: I wonder how you take something from your bra without them seeing it ....they should focus on the laps

dayokanu:

I agree with the bold

The nips and between the thighs are were women store cheating materials

I hope I get to check them these days and search for the expo hidden in these ungodly crevices

IvyBlue:

I wonder where men hide theirs....

IvyBlue:

I wonder where men hide theirs....

dayokanu:

Men dont cheat

IvyBlue: I wonder how you take something from your bra without them seeing it ....they should focus on the laps

gbanikiti: I wonder too! maybe in their boxers or suit. I have seen someone hiding his mgbo krikri in his well tailored suit.

3ace:
You nefa see anything at all. Some people are very smart to the extent that you will look but you won't see.

IvyBlue: I wonder how you take something from your bra without them seeing it ....they should focus on the laps

gbanikiti: I remember when i cheated once with my micro chips hidden under my thighs. Some women baadt o!

chidindufrank: I surely would like to invigilate in such exam hall. Kia, see opportunity to do searching on fresh teats o. Abeg make Nija senate pass such law here o. At least after supervision man go waka go home fully ere.ct. Chia sweet things good o. Senate abeg look into this request and grant homeboiz favour o