More than a dozen Chinese municipalities and provinces have announced new policies regarding national college entrance exams for non-local students, as the Ministry of Education's year-end deadline draws near.

And all eyes are again on provinces of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong province, the top three destinations for Chinese students looking to better their chances in larger cities.

It's an understatement to say a lot is at stake for Chinese high school seniors waiting to take the Gaokao or college entrance exam. It's a gruelling test taken by about nine million students to enter the country's universities.

But for many students especially in large cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, they'll have to jump through hoops just to be eligible for the test.

Xiao Xing, a Guangdong high school senior student, said, "I've studied in Guangdong for a long time. I won't be able to adapt if I have to go back because the exams will be different."

Xiao is one of the lucky ones. His parents already have the much coveted residency permit in Guangdong, so he doesn't have to go back to his native Liaoning Province to sit the exam.

But there are many less fortunate, according to Guangdong's just-published policies for non-local students -- they won't be able to sit the exam in the province until 2016.

Tan Songhua from National Education Advisory Committee, said, "For large cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, because they face a large number of migrant workers, it is understandable that when it comes to the issue of equity in education, they'll have to take things in a slower manner."

Migrant students in Guangdong are already doing a lot better than their peers in the Chinese capital. According to Beijing's newly published "transitional policies," the best migrant students there can do is to take part in the city's college-level vocational school entrance exam, and after that, apply to transfer to a four year college.

Dr. Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of Shanghai Jiaotong Universtiry press office, said, "Don't let students study or take Gaokao in big cities where their migrant parents work is irresponsible and unfair."

Xiong's home city of Shanghai has given the go-ahead for migrant students whose parents meet its requirements, but experts say the "requirements" are likely to be just as tough as before.

China's hukou or residency permit system and its effect on education have caused grief.

Zhou Lu, a Shanghai middle school student, said, "If I have to go back to my hometown for school, I won't be able to hang out with my friends here any more. I don't know anybody back home."

Both sides of the argument feel like they are losing.

The country is hoping to get everyone on the same starting line, but it doesn't look to be an easy process.

(CNTV.cn December 30, 2012)