BEIJING - A new regulation punishing fraudulent behavior when granting academic degrees will take effect on January 1, according to the Ministry of Education.

The rule is the first of its kind in China.

The regulation specifies that, in addition to plagiarism and fabricating data in the plagiarism, buying, selling or organizing the trade of academic degree thesis will also be treated as fraudulent behavior.

According to the regulation, colleges shall disqualify applicants for graduate, postgraduate, or doctoral degrees if they plagiarize or commit fraud in their academic degree thesis. The students shall be banned from applying for further degrees within three years.

Degrees already awarded shall be revoked if such misconduct is identified.

In addition, tutors of students who commit fraud as well as college officials will be punished, according to the regulation.