Xi'an Jiaotong University in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, has started a trial run of its new doctoral admissions procedure.

Chen Tianning, executive deputy director of the university's graduate college, said the new application assessment system for doctoral admissions is different to the previous enrollment exam, placing more emphasis on candidates' potential for research and innovation.

Pei Yi, director of the graduate admission office, told China Daily the university will enroll 590 students under the new system to take doctoral degrees, some 70 percent of the total number of doctoral degree candidates to be enrolled in 2013.

The new system will examine candidates by qualification-checking, material- appraisal, basic examination and interviewing, and then decide if a candidate can be admitted.

"The new system of doctoral admissions will avoid the drawbacks of too much attention to written knowledge in past enrollment exams," Pei said.