Legislation not enough

Sharad S Chauhan

DGP and MD, Punjab Police Housing Corporation

THE TRIBUNE DEBATE: Prevention of unfair means in exams

A board displayed at the entrance to the University of South Africa reads: “Destroying any nation does not require the use of atomic bombs or long-range missiles. It only requires lowering the quality of education and allowing cheating in the examinations by the students. The collapse of education is the collapse of the nation.” This message reflects the importance of education and its impact on society.

The police must probe such cases with the same diligence as for crimes involving gangsters and drug traffickers.

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act imposes strict penalties of up to 10 years in jail and Rs 1 crore in fine for offences like leaking question papers, tampering with answer keys, etc. Aimed at cracking down on organised crime, the legislation empowers the police, denies bail and prohibits settlement.

Human involvement at multiple stages, right from framing papers to their distribution, heightens the possibility of such leaks. It leads to a loss of integrity, unfair advantage and diminished educational standards, which erode trust in the examination system and create an uneven playing field.

In the US, several studies, including the National Survey on Academic Integrity and the Journal of College Student Development Study (2015), have highlighted high rates of cheating among undergraduate students, ranging from 65 per cent to 74 per cent. An Educational Testing Service (ETS) study (2018) noted varying cheating rates, suggesting that subjects perceived as more competitive or high-stakes experience higher rates of cheating. In China, up to 30 per cent of students engage in academic dishonesty during exams, according to a 2016 study published in the journal Studies in Higher Education. These statistics highlight widespread cheating in academia globally. In Bihar, there were 300 arrests and 600 expulsions after images of people scaling walls to cheat flashed worldwide. A survey by LocalCircles in 2019 revealed that around 75 per cent of the parents admitted to being indifferent to cheating in exams. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported 2,835 cases of cheating in examinations across India in 2019. Cheating costs developing countries $19 billion annually (as per UNESCO). Some reports estimate that the cheating industry in India is worth billions of rupees annually. Cheating goes beyond academia, with notable scandals in various professions worldwide. In 2014, the US Air Force dismissed nine officers amid a cheating scandal in ballistic missile proficiency exams.

The ETS and Ad Council Survey (2009) estimated that 95 per cent of cheaters go undetected in US colleges, while a UK survey reported 17 per cent of the students admitting to cheating in exams or coursework. Academic cheaters are more prone to unethical behaviour later in life, such as lying to customers and deceiving bosses, as per a 2009 Josephson Institute of Ethics survey. Without specific studies on cheating in India, the figures would probably not differ significantly. The findings in totality underscore the importance of proper exam administration rather than solely relying on punishment for those caught, as it only addresses a very small fraction of the issue. Those who go undetected can cause moral, ethical, financial and societal harm, given that the candidates selected on the basis of faulty examinations may be unfit for their roles.

A wide array of dubious methods, ranging from smart watches to innovations like erasers with hidden LED screens and data transmitters concealed in various objects, illustrate the evolution of cheating methods. All of these are readily available with a simple online search across e-commerce platforms. In addition to new laws and enhancing punishment for paper leaks and cheating, besides acknowledging that the majority of such cases may go undetected, there is a need to ensure the secrecy of question papers and examination processes. This underscores the importance of reframing and enhancing the existing measures.

Efforts to curb cheating in examinations are underway globally, showcasing a range of innovative strategies. In China, for the annual ‘Gaokao’, arguably the most difficult examination in the world, security measures include SWAT teams escorting test papers. Some authorities employ drones positioned above exam centres to deter unauthorised radio signals that may assist students during tests, blockchain technology and a new-generation biometric authentication technique that goes beyond fingerprints to verify the identity of the candidates. Governments worldwide have instituted reporting channels to address malpractices, provide protection for whistleblowers and foster community involvement in maintaining exam integrity. Collaborative endeavours involve coordination among ministries, including education, public and national security and specialised agencies tasked with safeguarding information. Digital envelopes, established at every stage of the question paper preparation, offer enhanced security, controlled distribution, time-sensitive access and audit trails. Alternately, the ‘Distributed Printing’ system selects exam questions from a disconnected digital question bank on the morning of the exam. Expert teachers prepare questions the night before, and those are printed at centres upon the receipt of encrypted files via VPN (virtual private network). Surveillance with real-time cameras and AI prevents unauthorised access, aiming to minimise paper leaks.

Pre-examination vigilance is essential. We need standard operating procedures with clear trigger points for unauthorised access or printing activity, automatic tools for statistical analysis to detect anomalies and a whistleblower programme.

Paper leaks in high-stakes exams, where millions vie for a few seats, pose a threat to the government’s credibility, potentially leading to law and order issues impacting the economy and public trust, and may prompt foreign intelligence agencies to aid the paper leak mafia. Existing organised crime units and counter-intelligence departments across states and the Central Government should allocate resources to target the education mafia on a par with other organised crime cartels, including undercover and sting operations.

The government has taken a significant step by introducing a stringent anti-cheating law. It is imperative for the police to investigate such cases with the same diligence as for crimes involving gangsters and drug traffickers so as to dismantle these criminal networks.

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