"Question: Which of the following is the course teacher? What's his/her name?" (Web photo)

A question asking students to select their teacher's photo and write the teacher's name in an exam at a Chinese college has caused animated discussion online, after a picture of the exam paper was uploaded to Chinese social media.

In the final exam of an Ideological, Moral Cultivation and Legal Basis course, students in Sichuan Vocational College of Culture and Communication were asked to identify the course teacher from seven ID photos on the paper.

Those who could give the right answer would not gain points, but those who could not choose the right photo or write the teacher's name would be deducted 41 points.

(Web photo)

"It is exciting and interesting to answer such question," said a student surnamed Guo in this college, "some students may choose the wrong photo or write the wrong name, but most of us think it's a good way to promote teacher-student relations."

Some netizens also praised it as an innovative action to increase attendance, but others doubted the usefulness and rationality of this question.

"A student stuck on this question could easily fail the final exam if 41 points are deducted," said a user on Sina Weibo.

"Students who get questions wrong can still pass the overall course, because the test accounts for only 30 percent of the final score," explained Hu Teng, the writer of the question in response.

"This actually tests students' attitude to the class. We want to know whether students have paid attention in the class, and whether they have noticed details of daily life," said Hu.

To raise attendance, many Chinese universities have tried unusual methods, such as facial recognition, fingerprint scanning and a roll call lottery.

Some netizens, however, are unconvinced, one saying that instead trying to force students to attend, universities and teachers have to figure out how to make their classes more engaging.