Three Chinese universities have announced in succession they would expel master’s degree and PhD candidates who failed to observe graduation rules and regulations, China Youth Daily reported on Thursday.

Seventy-two postgraduate students from Guangzhou University, 46 from Hefei University of Technology and an unknown number from Southwest Jiaotong University have been involved.

Most expulsions are due to the fact the candidates have exceeded the maximum period of study, usually 5 years for a master's degree and 6-7 years for a PhD.

Other reasons include absence of courses for over two weeks without permission and not getting registered within a prescribed period without a reasonable excuse.

The move follows a notice released by the Ministry of Education in late February, which urges higher education institutions to further tighten up on management and degree-granting practices for postgraduate students.