WORLD OF EDUCATION

From Chits to Chips: Copying Goes Tech-Savvy I think the very existence of copying during exams must have started the moment formal examinations were introduced in the education system. The urge to adopt this unethical practice appears deeply rooted—especially among those who fear failure and also among those few who wish to excel at any cost. Those afraid of failing resort to cheating to avoid parental anger, while high performers too may succumb due to pressure to maintain their excellence. Over the years, I have witnessed as a teacher various shades of malpractices in examinations. Earlier, students relied on handwritten chits or torn book pages cleverly hidden inside socks, shoes, collars, belts, etc. They would silently use them and even pass them on to someone in the next row or column—or throw them like a crumpled ball to a desperate friend. Even simply tilting the answer sheet to show answer became a lifeline for someone “about to drown.” Here, outsmarting the invigilator was...