After a month of investigations, nine people were detained in connection with the case and 90 sets of equipment used for cheating in the exams were seized, according to the education authorities in Heilongjiang province, where the university is located.

He Xiuchao, director of the supervision and guidance department at the Education Ministry, said the special group sent out under the new system would serve like a "fire brigade".

"As a third party distinct from local governments and schools, the special group is not responsible for handling the incidents directly, but focuses on urging and guiding the other parties to handle the incidents in the best way, so that the adverse effects of the incidents are kept to a minimum," he said.

The special groups comprise educational experts and highly experienced national education supervisors.

The groups will be involved at all levels, including supervising investigations, the reconstruction of damaged campuses and classrooms, identifying causes of problems and holding people to account, he said. They will also assist in guiding the recovery of students after traumatic experiences.

Chu Zhaohui, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Education Sciences, said the "supervision and guidance" system comes at the right time, as major emergencies on and off campus, are common these days.

But it's still hard to say how big a role the group can play in dealing with major education-related incidents, Chu said.

"As a third-party institution, the group may seem to lack the necessary authority, and local governments may not cooperate with it or follow its instructions. Under such circumstances, the group may face unexpected difficulties," he said.

"Ensuring the group can perform its duties to the full is a major issue that education departments should consider," he added.