BEIJING — A former student went on a stabbing rampage at a vocational college in eastern China on Saturday, killing eight people and wounding 17 others, police said, adding it appeared the suspect was angry over not getting his graduation certificate and failing an exam.

The knife attack took place at the Wuxi Vocational College of Arts and Technology in Yixing, part of Wuxi city in the eastern province of Jiangsu. The suspect was apprehended at the scene and confessed to his actions,…