Niger's military rulers have suggested that only those with a university degree should be allowed to run in presidential elections.

尼日尔军事统治者建议，只有具备大学学位的人才有资格参加总统选举。

ousted¹ in February by the military" width="226" height="170" src="/upimg/100525/4_024435_1.jpg" />
Mr Tandja, now in his 70s, was ousted in February by the military

Candidates would also have to be under 70 years old.

The reforms have been proposed by the Consultative Council, set up by the military after it overthrew²（推翻） ex-President Mamadou Tandja in February.

Opposition³ groups have criticised the proposal, saying it excludes（排除，逐出） much of the population which is illiterate⁴.

"This is pure discrimination because only 20% of Niger's people know how to read and write in French," said former MP Sabo Saidu.

The council said making it obligatory⁵（义务的，必须的） for presidential candidates to have a university degree would help bring Niger into the world of international business and aid development in one of the poorest countries on the planet.

"Changes always have their advantages and set backs. But in this specific case, Niger must endeavour（竭力，企图） to draft progress," the council's spokesman Colonel Ibrahim Yacoub told the BBC.

Other proposed changes include making it compulsory⁶ for parliamentary candidates to have some level of secondary education.

Although the reforms have yet to become law, correspondents say there is little chance that they will be blocked as there is no parliament to oppose them.

The junta⁷ has promised to revert⁸ to（回复，归还） civilian⁹ rule before the first anniversary of its takeover and stipulated¹⁰（规定，保证） that military personnel are not allowed to stand for election.

Mr Tandja, a former army officer in his early 70s, was first elected in 1999 and was returned to power in an election in 2004.

He came under increasing criticism both at home and abroad after changing the constitution to allow him to stay in power for a third term.