Asianfin -- A vocational school student in China, who captivated the public in June by placing near the top in the preliminary round of a major math competition, received help from her teacher, violating contest rules, the organizers disclosed this week.

An investigation by the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition Organizing Committee revealed that the student’s math teacher had provided assistance, breaking the contest’s “no discussion with others” rule, according to a statement on Sunday. The extent to which this assistance influenced her performance remains unclear.

The student, Jiang Ping, a teenager studying fashion design, gained overnight fame in China after finishing 12th in the preliminary round, a competition that typically attracts top university graduates from institutions like Cambridge, MIT, and Caltech. Her achievement was celebrated with large photos displayed in shopping malls in her hometown in Jiangsu province, while two major regional universities praised her on social media.

However, shortly after her rise to fame, some netizens began to question the authenticity of her accomplishment, noting inconsistencies in a televised interview where she wrote mathematical formulas on a blackboard.

Jiangsu Lianjiang Vocational School, where Jiang studies, stated on Sunday that the teacher involved had been reprimanded and would be ineligible for a performance evaluation, which influences pay and promotions, for one year.

The Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition, established six years ago by the e-commerce giant, aims to encourage a love for mathematics among students. Founder Jack Ma emphasized that the contest’s purpose is to inspire and support young math enthusiasts.