Nearly 10 million high school students sat China's national college entrance exams last weekend. The 'Gaokao' is a fiercely competitive, make-or-break test that determines the path of a student's life. Some tried to improve their chances by using high-tech equipment straight out of a James Bond film.

Police have released photos of some of the devices they confiscated, such as a camera hidden in a pair of glasses and a tiny receiver that looks like a coin.

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A hidden coil in a shirt, two batteries, a mobile phone and a receiver are displayed after being found on a student about to take an exam, in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China. Reuters
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A police officer displays a pair of glasses with a hidden camera and a tiny receiver attached to a coin in Shenyang, Liaoning province, China. Reuters
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A hidden camera in a pen and a receiver in the shape of an eraser are displayed after being confiscated by the authorities in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Reuters
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Mobile devices and receivers which can be placed in ears are displayed after being confiscated by the authorities in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China. Reuters
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A staff member monitors radio signals to prevent students cheating during the university entrance exam in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province. AFP
china exam cheat radio
A member of staff monitors radio signals to prevent students cheating during the university entrance exam in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province. AFP

The Gaokao determines which university a student will attend. The test is deemed so important that streets around exam halls are guarded by the police, and people who make noise on testing days can be fined.

Authorities arrested a man for allegedly taking bribes while serving as an admissions official at Beijing's elite Renmin University. Cai Rongsheng was arrested on allegations that he took more than 10 million yuan (£955,966) in exchange for the help he extended to those seeking admission to the university.

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Armed policemen stand on patrol at the gate of a high school as students sit the 2014 college entrance exam in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province. AFP
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Students wearing T-shirts saying 'fear nothing' walk into the exam room to sit the 2014 college entrance exam in Bozhou, east China's Anhui province. AFP
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Students vow to obey regulations before sitting the 2014 college entrance exam in Bozhou, east China's Anhui province. AFP
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Family members burn offerings to pray for their children taking the national college entrance exam in Wuhan, Hubei province. Reuters
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