An online test paper for a human resources management class in Monashi University has provoked Chinese students’ anger over biased questions about Chinese society with the "correct" answers being thought to be highly prejudiced.

Over half of the test was about human resources in China, and two of the "correct" answers to a multiple question test have proven to be extremely controversial.

Question 6 asked people to complete the following sentence: There is a common saying in China that government officials only speak the truth when...? The "correct" was “they are drunk or careless.”

Question 6. /Global Times

And question 10 asked what factor is the main barrier in modernizing China’s traditional industry? And the "correct" answer was “the lack of skilled workers especially managers.”

Question 10. /Global Times

After the test, a lot of Chinese students conveyed their concern about the exam as they felt the questions were prejudicial and did not reflect China’s modern society. The students complained that was not an "old saying in China" that government officers only tell the truth after getting drunk. 

Meanwhile in addressing question 10, local Chinese media referred to a report from CNN back in 2012, indicating that China had become the world’s largest supplier of educated workers and it is estimated that by 2030, 30% of the educated workers in the world would be working in China. 

Screen shot of CNN report in 2012. /Sydney Today

According to the Global Times, Question 6 originated from a human resource textbook widely used in prestigious universities in Australia. The textbook quoted from a report published in the Hong Kong media's South China Morning Post which published an investigative report about national officers in 2003. 

“Recently in the last five years, China has changed a lot. It is inaccurate test our education using a report from 2003,” said Gao Song, a student who had taken the test. “It is also clearly identifies Monash University’s own rules that reference written over 10 years ago would not be appropriate.”

Letter from the deputy dean of the business school. /Global Times

Faced with the arguments from students, the deputy dean of Monash University Business School, Rorbert Rrooks sent out an email to students, indicating that the school would withdraw the test immediately and these questions did not represent the school's stand. The class teacher who is thought to be responsible for the test, Aaron Wijeratne,  is currently suspended.