CPPCC members from the education field said Han Han, one of China's most famous young writers, was not a rebel of the current education system.

Despite his dropping out of high school for personal reasons, Han was widely deemed a literary prodigy and has so far published at least five novels.

"Young students shouldn’t simply follow his experience as this couldn't happen very often," said Zhao Lihong, a CPPCC member.

Not everyone who rejects school education or examinations will become someone like Han Han, he said.

Liu Changming, another CPPCC member, said: "In fact, we do have some middle school students even at my school who have published a novel."

Liu is headmaster of Beijing No 4 High School.

"Han's personal experience gives us a lesson that we must diversify standards to evaluate a student," said Zhang Ping, deputy governor of Shanxi province.