BEIJING - A draft amendment to the Laws on the Popularization of Agricultural Technology stipulates that national-level institutions for agro-technical popularization should employ professionals with college degrees or greater.

Professional technicians should also pass a technical assessment organized by related government departments above the county level, the amendment says.

The draft is undergoing a second reading by the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, China's top legislature, at a bimonthly session that began Monday.