China's blind sits in college exam room

China's only blind candidate on Saturday took the national college entrance examination with the blind-friendly test paper specially designed for him by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

Escorted by exam staff, Li Jinsheng, a 46-year-old masseur, took the test in Braille, the reading system for the blind, in Queshan County in central China's Henan Province.

The questions were adjusted based on papers for sighted students and the time was extended for 40 minutes according to the policy.

After Li applied to take the exam late last year, the ministry decided to provide convenience to him. Exam authorities and experts spent nearly half a year to prepare the test papers for blind candidates, said Jiang Gang, director of the MOE's exam center.

"All of the work was aimed at making it easier for blind people to take the exam," Jiang said. "It is not only for one person. We are preparing to provide more disabled candidates access equal opportunities to receive higher education."

The exam, known as the "gaokao", takes place on June 7 and 8 this year, attracting nearly 9.4 million participants to vie for 6.98 million vacancies in universities and colleges.