Students from Beijing Chaoyang Foreign Language School take group photos after finishing the 4-day college entrance examination, or gaokao, in Beijing on Friday. About 10 million senior high school students in China took the gaokao this year. Photo: cnsphoto

A case of a Chinese entertainer forging his identity in order to participate in the college entrance examination, also known as gaokao, and affecting the exam's equality has been recorded in a book for public officials to learn from, getting support from Chinese netizens.

As his dream university only recruited fresh graduates from senior high school, the entertainer Tong Zhuo forged his identity with the help of his stepfather in the 2013 college entrance examination.

The unlawful incident was exposed by Tong himself in May and enraged Chinese netizens. China's Ministry of Education and the local educational bureau responded to the incident and Tong's stepfather and other accomplices were punished.

His stepfather was an official in the government of Linfen, North China's Shanxi Province.

Tong's case is still being discussed by netizens. On Tuesday it was found that the case was included in a textbook for public officials to learn regulations and laws, and punishments for officials who had helped the entertainer were also recorded.

The related hashtag has been viewed more than 570 times on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo as of Tuesday afternoon. Most netizens showed approval and hope Tong's case can be considered as a lesson to those who attempt to cheat in the gaokao.

China's college entrance examination is always considered the most significant and equal exam in the country. Tong's case has generated public concern about ensuring the gaokao's equality.

"Recording the case in the book for public officials can help warn more people not to damage the equality of our college entrance examination," one netizen said on Sina Weibo.

Tong's grades in the 2013 gaokao were cancelled and the graduation certificate of the Central Drama Academy was withdrawn. He was also kicked out of TV programs.

His stepfather was also removed from office after the incident was exposed.