Shanghai is targeting fresh college graduates and people with higher degrees for military recruitment, thepaper.cn reported Wednesday.

Conscription in the metropolis started on Thursday and will end on September 30.

Chen Lixin, commander of the Shanghai Garrison Command and head of the conscription office of the Shanghai government, said that conscription in 2019 targets college students to ensure an increase of university students entering the military in terms of number and proportion, according to the report.

Young male applicants with an education background above high school are qualified for the conscription. Those with higher diplomas and new college graduates are prioritized for approval. The conscription is also open to freshmen, undergraduates, and employees of both government and companies with junior college or higher diplomas. Regarding female applicants, college graduates are prioritized over undergraduates and high school graduates.

Chen also said that outstanding young people in disaster relief and disaster area reconstruction should take precedence in the conscription, as should the children and siblings of soldiers who died on duty or from illness, and the children of soldiers in service.

Conscription this year adopts a tighter scrutiny of medical history and pre-service education, to enroll truly excellent young people into the army. More applicants with special expertise, combat skills and construction-related knowledge should be recruited to make better preparations.