SINGAPORE - Male students in junior colleges, Millennia Institute, polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) will from January 2015 be tested with push-ups instead of pull-ups in the National Physical Fitness Award (Napfa) test.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Thursday that this change will facilitate the use of the Napfa test results for pre-enlistment purposes, in line with the modifications in the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) announced earlier by the Ministry of Defence.

The new IPPT for servicemen, which kicks in next year, will have just three categories: the 2.4km run, sit-ups and a new category - push-ups. The rest of the current stations - standing broad jump, shuttle run and chin-ups - will be removed.

Currently, the Napfa test comprises six items that assess different aspects of overall fitness. For post-secondary students, these are sit-ups, pull-ups for males and inclined pull-ups for females, sit-and-reach, standing broad jump, shuttle run and 2.4km run or walk.

The MOE said there is no change to the Napfa test for primary and secondary students, as well as female students in pre-university institutions, polytechnics and ITE. Pull-ups and inclined pull-ups will still be used for these students.