The Growing Culture of Academic Dishonesty

The rise in cheating among students has become a growing concern, reflecting deeper issues within the education system. With mounting academic pressure, high-stakes exams, and intense competition, many students resort to unfair means as a shortcut to success. The easy access to technology—smartphones, messaging apps, and online resources—has only made it easier to cheat discreetly. Beyond individual choices, this trend signals a systemic problem: an overemphasis on grades rather than understanding, coupled with inadequate support structures for struggling learners. If left unchecked, the normalization of cheating not only undermines academic integrity but also erodes trust in institutions and devalues genuine achievement.

In a grim exam protocol violation, a NEET UG 2025 candidate at Piru Singh Government Senior Secondary School exited the examination hall with a copy of her OMR sheet on Sunday, prompting prompt action by authorities.

The incident was when Monika, a student from Nangli village, unknowingly picked the blue version of her OMR sheet—what was to be submitted—after taking the test. Centre superintendent Jamna Jhajharia brought it to their attention when, during post-exam check-up, officials discovered the blue OMR sheet of roll number 3918105053 missing.

The student had already left the city but was traced through her family members and brought back from near Ked village in the Gudha area. She then came up with the carbon copy.

District Collector Ramavatar Meena, acting on National Testing Agency (NTA) instructions, suspended two invigilators—Govt Senior Secondary School lecturer Urmila and Govt Senior Secondary School lecturer Rajpal Singh—on charges of negligence. The invigilators were found wanting on a number of provisions (points 12, 16, and 24) of Chapter-13 of the NTA guidelines, dealing with exam confidentiality and fairness.

The exam coordinator has asked for a written detailed explanation from the centre superintendent on the lapse.

This is one in a chain of anomalies in the examination processes in Jhunjhunu district in recent months. Earlier, in February, the RAS initial exam was plagued with chaos when the bag of an exam paper was opened unlawfully in a Nawalgarh center, and candidates boycotted. In March, the EO-RO recruitment exam was questioned when the entry tickets for the candidates were distributed after the given gate closing hour, and six temporary police suspensions followed.

With tests still continuing, officials called for tougher enforcement of testing regulations to prevent loopholes. Only by prioritizing integrity and support can we restore trust in educational outcomes and truly prepare students for the challenges beyond the classroom.