What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
The Odisha government’s recent introduction of a bill that enforces prison sentences of up to five years for cheating in examinations marks an unprecedented approach to tackling academic dishonesty. As education systems across India grapple with persistent issues of exam malpractice, it is worth questioning whether criminalizing cheating is a step forward or merely a short-sighted solution to a complex problem.
Exam malpractices have, without a doubt, become a pervasive issue in India. With high stakes attached to competitive exams, students, often under intense pressure, sometimes resort to cheating as a shortcut to success. While this has an undeniably corrosive effect on academic integrity and public trust in the education system, whether punitive measures such as imprisonment can effectively deter such behaviours is debatable. In its harshness, the Odisha law seems to echo a broader, perhaps oversimplified, assumption: that criminalizing behaviour is the most effective deterrent.
Proponents of the bill may argue that drastic times call for drastic measures. Cheating, they contend, unfairly advantages those who engage in it while undermining the hard work of honest students. By establishing jail terms, the state aims to create a high-stakes consequence that might make students, parents, and even facilitators of cheating think twice before engaging in dishonest practices. Furthermore, considering the lengths to which some groups go to ensure exam success—including organized cheating rings and tech-assisted fraud—a legal framework with strict penalties appears, at first glance, to be a practical solution.
However, several aspects of this approach invite serious reconsideration. First, it is crucial to recognize that the roots of cheating are embedded not just in individual morality but in systemic pressures and an educational culture that prioritizes outcomes over learning. The Indian education system places immense importance on exam scores as the primary measure of a student’s ability. This leads to an environment where fear of failure and the stigma attached to it can make students feel that they have little choice but to cut corners.
Moreover, introducing criminal penalties for students as young as high schoolers risks stigmatizing and alienating young people at an already vulnerable stage in their lives. If rehabilitation and education are the goals, punitive methods may produce more harm than good by labelling students as criminals rather than offering support systems to address the underlying issues that led to their decision to cheat. Rather than instituting jail terms, might it be more effective to focus on reforms that mitigate exam stress, emphasize continuous assessment, and foster a culture of academic integrity through ethical education?
Countries like Finland, for instance, prioritize holistic assessments, which reduces reliance on single-exam scores and creates a learning environment that discourages academic dishonesty. In India, a move towards more diverse assessment methods, combined with counselling and mentorship, could be more effective in the long term than punitive measures alone. Additionally, investing in strict but humane proctoring systems, enforcing transparency in exam administration, and focusing on teacher training to promote integrity can address the issue without criminalization.
