Chinese test takers are considering a class action lawsuit against U.S.-based Educational Testing Service (ETS) following its recent decision to cancel their Graduate Record Examination (GRE) results,  Beijing Morning Post reported.

ETS of New Jersey cancelled the scores of those who took the GRE in China on October 23, because administrators mistakenly used a previous edition of the test.

Some 24,000 participants, most of whom plan to apply to graduate schools in the United States, have been affected.

The report indicated that 82.2 percent of the test takers said the score cancellations would disrupt their plans for applying to graduate schools.

ETS said in a statement that the decision to cancel the scores was "difficult" and offered test takers the option of free make-up tests on November 20 or June 11, 2011, or a full refund of their test fee.

But because the scores of the November make-up test will not be available until December 10, some students will have to submit their applications without knowledge of their scores. As a result, some of the test takers believe they should not bear the consequences of ETS's error and have proposed a class action lawsuit.

(CRIENGLISH.com November 1,2 010)