A 17-year-old vocational school student from rural China has become a celebrity on social media after reaching the final round of a maths competition, beating many others from top universities and raising questions about the education system.

Most expressed their amazement, while some questioned if it was real. While it was unclear how Ms Jiang ended up in vocational school, her story still reminded some in China of the inequality between rural and urban areas and how that can make it harder for even talented students to climb the economic ladder.

“While Jiang Ping is openly celebrated, many Chinese feel deep down inside that her story highlights the hopelessness of Chinese education,” said Jiang Xueqin, a China-based education researcher.