BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- No machines will be used to shield mobile phone signals in both senior high school and college entrance exams in Beijing next month, according to the Beijing Education Examinations Authority.

    The authority's spokesman Wu Fengchen has negated early conjectures that advanced technologies including handset shielding machines will be used in the exams to prevent the leak of exam questions, Saturday's Beijing Morning Post reported.

    Handset shielding technology has been used in Beijing for national examinations including exams for self-taught education since 2005.

    The use of the handset shielding machines in exams has been a much disputed issue in the past year, as experts have expressed concern about their possible physical damage to people taking exams.

    "Radiation generated by the shielding instruments may impair brain cells, crystalline lens and man's reproductive system," TangTai, an engineer with the Qinghua (Tsinghua) University said.

    "It's irresponsible for educational departments to apply the technology in exams disregarding the side effects on those who are taking the exams," said Tang, who has repeatedly called for a ban on using shielding technology in this sense.

    Many provinces, such as Shandong, Heilongjiang and Liaoning, put the technology into use last year, and several others are planning to join the list this year. Enditem