To apply for financial aid to the government is the legitimate right of every citizen. The suggested solution is that a needy student can submit the application to local social relief authorities and whether a student is qualified for the aid should be based on the investigation by these agencies. Finally, the aid should also be distributed by them. Only in this way can the transparency and equality of the whole process be ensured.

Liang Jiangtao (Changjiang Times): If the decision for aid is at the hands of classmates, needy students' impression on other students becomes very important. There are many examples of impoverished students who spend their financial aid on luxury products, which discourages others from offering them donations. This brings up a new problem. Is it possible that some students will pretend to be poor in the hope of getting aid? If so, relationships between students would become tense.

Why do the universities want to change the old system? An important reason is that according to the evidence offered by some local governments, some so-called impoverished students are not poor at all. This is the most urgent problem. What is needed is honesty.

Empowers students

He Yonghai (Dazhong Daily): Some people believe that if classmates decide who is poor, it could damage the dignity of those impoverished. However, in my opinion, this practice will help those who really need aid.

First, in the legal sense, to let students investigate real living conditions is not a violation of one's privacy, but making the offer of social support more transparent. Impoverished students may regard their living conditions as private, but if they want to get financial aid, it changes things. Financial resources are limited, but so many students are waiting to share them, which means there is no room for abuse of the system. In this sense, the financial aid is no longer a private issue but has something to do with public interests. In accordance with China's basic legal principles, when the right of privacy contradicts public interests, the former should be subject to the latter.

Second, if classmates are allowed to participate in the judgment, the result will be more accurate and thus the financial aid will come to the most needy students. As financial resources are very limited, it's important to give an equal opportunity to all those students who are in real need of help. The new practice will help to promote transparency and equality in the distribution of aid and prevent corruption.

Dong Hui (Modern Express): The government's financial aid to impoverished students is not supposed to be handouts attached with conditions. It is the government's obligation. In the past, instead of doing a careful job in checking students' actual living conditions, many schools imposed unbearable terms on potential aid recipients. To grant the examination right to the classmates of "possible impoverished students," it not only makes the job more effective and transparent, but also shows respect to students.

This system should have been adopted from the very beginning. As far as impoverished students are concerned, they will feel more comfortable if those who conduct the investigation are their classmates, instead of schools or the government that seems far more impersonal. As for students who are entrusted by schools to check the real living conditions of needy students, they appreciate the universities' confidence in them.

Jun Qiu (Changjiang Times): When the investigation of poor students is delegated to their peers, it seems that all students are potential recipients of the financial aid. Such an equal and open environment will help to make the investigation more effective and also it reflects the universities' respect for students. Not only impoverished students, but all students involved in the process will feel respected.

To some extent, this practice will promote democracy on campus, because at present, a small number of student leaders decide on aid provision. When common students are permitted to take part in the investigation, the "monopoly" can be broken.

In a real university, the institution and the students should share equal rights. Giving the right to decide on aid benefits all students, not only the impoverished ones.

Lu Qing (www.daynews.com.cn): In the past, the confirmation of a student's poor living conditions was based on their own words, or on evidence offered by local governments. This method can't ensure that financial aid goes to those in real need of help, because of poor supervision. As a result, many "fake" impoverished students have begun to grab a share of the limited financial aid.

When the investigation is granted to common students, there is more supervision and it's easy for one's classmates to know about his or her real living conditions. Maybe, some students will pretend to be poor, but it's never an easy job to pretend for four years of college life. Therefore, when the decision-making right is at the hands of common students, those who are in urgent and real need of financial aid will get help and can be monitored over the entire education period.