China's math prodigy faces cheating allegations in competition scandal

Jiang Ping, a 17-year-old student from a vocational school in China, was celebrated for her high ranking in the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition. However, competition organizers have now accused her of cheating, revealing that she received help from her teacher, who was also a contestant. The competition, which began in 2018, typically features top scorers from elite universities. Jiang's success had sparked discussions about the potential of students from less prestigious backgrounds. Following the cheating allegations, Jiang and her teacher were disqualified from the final results, which were announced after a delay. The organizers acknowledged flaws in the competition's supervision and apologized for the situation. While Jiang faced criticism, some social media users defended her, suggesting that the responsibility lies more with her school and teacher.