BEIJING -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) will no longer recruit senior high school graduates and college students for reserve officers, the Ministry of National Defence (MOD) said Friday.

Instead, the PLA will select and recruit college graduates, with new policies to be put in place to support the change, according to the MOD.

The changes are scheduled to take effect this year, as most college students graduate in June and July.

The new policy aims to better utilize China's educational resources, while providing a platform for more high-quality graduates from colleges across the country to serve in the army, said an official at the MOD.

High school graduates or college students previously accounted for a large proportion of PLA recruits. They receive education in colleges and universities, undergo military-style management and become reserve officers after graduation.