The evil of cheating

Cheating during exams has long been a problem at many schools, colleges and universities, and many students quite reasonably confess cheating at least once. We grow up in an environment in which the development of intellect is not considered the most important activity but obtaining a quick A+, diploma or degree is; that’s why cheating has become the “accepted norm” in our society.

There have been no studies conducted to identify the underlying causes of cheating on national level. One must reach the causes, the root of an evil first in order to eliminate it. There are many reasons for cheating: a lack of confidence, a perceived unfairness, a quick A+, fear of failure, and sometimes the attitude of an arrogant professor provides an incentive too.

The most depressing and disappointing factor is that most of the parents and teachers are involved in providing booty during the paper to the students, and the services of a personal ‘hired’ helper. Furthermore, the parents promise a party at the end of the exam if the professional cheating job is done in order to excel. .  Such parents and students think that their individual dishonesty will not affect anyone else, and they think that cheating on the exams is challenging and makes them cooler.

The long term effects of the cheating is that a student will be dependent during his career, and can't do anything beneficial. Sometimes he can't get a job. Keeping this in mind one can conclude that parents are cheating their children, the community and themselves by providing a helper.

This menacing evil can be gotten rid of only through intellectual means; the students must be persuaded to chase excellence and knowledge, at home and at school. However, more importantly, cheating on a paper must be seen as serious cheating because it is misrepresenting one’s knowledge on what is considered the final judge of this knowledge.