University students and doctoral candidates are to be disqualified if they are found to have committed plagiarism or fraud, and could face a further ban from obtaining other degrees for three years, according to a draft regulation.

In an effort to curb fraud and plagiarism in higher-learning institutions, the Ministry of Education began soliciting public opinion on draft regulations that will govern how those who commit such infractions will be punished.

Degrees that have already been awarded shall be revoked if such misconduct is found, the proposals stipulate.

Colleges shall set up an independent investigation institution to identify fraudulent activity in degree granting, but the legitimate rights of those suspected of academic wrongdoing should be protected, the draft adds.

The State Council or provincial academic degree committees shall revoke higher-learning institutions' right to grant degrees if multiple academic fraud cases are spotted, according to the proposed regulation.

"Degree applicants at our college will be disqualified if 20 percent of the content they write is found to be plagiarized. It varies among different institutions. So a national standard is needed," said a lecturer surnamed Chen from Hebei University.

There is no specific definition as to what constitutes plagiarism or fraud in the regulations.

"Administrative punishment alone can hardly root out rampant plagiarism. To standardize academic norms is more important," said Xiong Bingqi, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.