It is one thing to cheat in an exam, but a former police official has been arrested in Shaodong County, southern China, for stealing a girl’s identity so that his daughter could go to university.

The identity theft was uncovered when the girl applied for a credit card and was declined because her ID number was already in use.

Wang Zhengrong, whose daughter failed the entrance exam, is suspected of being so desperate to see her attend university that he stole the other girl’s identity and exam grades.

Meng Jianzhu, public security minister, has ordered an investigation into the case.

Mr Zhengrong was charged with forging and altering official documents and seals in 2004, the China Youth Daily said.

Cheating, whether paying for leaked exam papers or smuggling in electronic devices, is becoming more and more of problem every year in Chinese schools.