A NEW START: Students and teachers see off Jia Na, the first female soldier to enlist from Tsinghua University, on December 6, 2007 (CFP)

"It is very hot in summer and freezing in winter," Zhu said. "The food is not good and you have to run at least 8 km a day as part of the daily training. We only have four hours free every month."

At the very beginning, Zhu found it hard to adapt himself to the routine.

"Sometimes we went to the wilderness for training and couldn't find water for 24 hours at a time," Zhu said. "But it is a very effective way to build up a strong mind. As college students, we should do more to contribute to the army with our knowledge."

During his two years in the army, Zhu redesigned the layout of the barracks, published 22 articles about army life in newspapers and magazines and initiated academic classes for soldiers' children during the summer vacation. As a result, he got a third-class commendation. In December 2007, Zhu rejoined Xiamen University and in 2009, he was admitted to the university's postgraduate program.

Students who have served in the army receive a 10-point bonus on postgraduate entrance exams. Those who serve with distinction can also be admitted directly to postgraduate programs without having to sit entrance exams.

Serving students also receive as much as 6,000 yuan ($882) each year as reimbursement for tuition fees. Families of urban students receive 150 yuan ($22) per month while those of rural students get an annual payment of 4,000 yuan ($588).

In June 2011, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, reviewed a draft amendment to the Military Service Law. The amendment was created to help the army recruit more college students.

The draft amendment removed a stipulation that states that full-time students could defer their military service. It also raises the maximum age for recruits to 24, allowing more qualified candidates to be recruited.

"The army is now really attractive," said Xi Xueni, a college graduate majoring in international trade who worked in a private company for a year and just quit her job to apply for military service.

Female soldiers

When Jia Na, a student at Tsinghua University's School of Journalism and Communication, made the decision to join the PLA Navy in 2007, all of her friends were shocked.

"They were surprised but I had been thinking about it for almost two years," Jia said.

In October 2005, Jia, who was working as an amateur reporter at the school's newspaper, interviewed an alumnus who joined the army. Before the interview, Jia spoke to the recruit's friends, most of whom described him as a self-centered slacker. However, when Jia met him, he seemed to be an entirely different person—disciplined, responsible and committed to his country.

This interview impressed Jia a lot. As a student at a prestigious university, Jia felt she also had to do something for society.

In December 2007, Jia became the first female student from Tsinghua University to enlist. During her first three months in the PLA Navy, she followed a grueling and repetitive schedule of exercise, cleaning and studying.

"I was criticized by my superior officer every single day because I couldn't fold my quilt into a rectangle fast enough," Jia said. She also found herself needing a sound knowledge of satellite data transmission, which she had to learn from scratch.

Jia said she never went to bed before midnight during her first months in the army. In a very short period of time, she learned to operate a range of equipment and machinery.

Her efforts paid dividends and Jia came first in the academic exam on professional knowledge, and began to help senior soldiers to learn how to operate new machines.

In December 2009, Jia returned to Tsinghua University and decided to switch her major to one that is related to national defense.

"I didn't make this decision on impulse," Jia said. "After two years in the PLA Navy, I know what I want more clearly."

Liu Peipei, a female graduate from the Northeast Petroleum University, based in Heilongjiang Province, joined the army in 2009. She was inspired by the National Day parade in Beijing on October 1 of the year, which marked the 60th founding of the People's Republic of China.

"I watched the National Day parade and just thought the women soldiers were amazing," said Liu, who said the competition for a place in the army was very fierce in 2009.

That year 130,000 college students and graduates entered the military service, compared with 39,000 in the previous year.

"I think the competition will be much fiercer in the future," said Liu. "I have never imagined so many people wanted to join the army but more and more people now believe it's the best option."