The Alarming Normalization of Cheating in Exams Noureddine Boutahar

In recent years, the normalization of cheating has reached alarming levels, infiltrating many aspects of our lives, starting with exams, and threatening the very foundations of ethics, integrity, social trust, and equal opportunities. This disturbing trend poses significant risks to the moral fabric of our society and calls for urgent attention and intervention.

Cheating, once considered a rare, shameful, and strictly reprimanded act, has become increasingly common and, disturbingly, more socially acceptable. This shift is evident in various sectors, including education, business, journalism, science, sports, and even personal relationships. The pressure to succeed, often at any cost, has driven people to resort to dishonest means, rationalizing their actions as necessary, justifiable, or inconsequential.

In the realm of education, cheating has become a pervasive issue—a bad way to a good life. Students cheat for various reasons, often involving a combination of psychological, social, and contextual factors.

First, students often succumb to the temptation of academic dishonesty due to intense competition. Researchers observe that even the most prestigious schools are plagued by cheating scandals in such competitive environments. Plagiarism, copying information, and falsifying academic records become rampant in these circumstances.

Second, high expectations from parents and teachers can drive students to cheat to meet these demands. Success, in our educational system, is measured by students' grades, making them more "performance oriented" than "learning oriented." This overemphasis on grades rather than on learning and understanding has cultivated a culture where cheating is considered a necessary evil. This underscores the need for educational reforms alongside efforts to address cheating.

Third, the pressure to succeed is the driving force behind cheating. The fear of failure and the anxiety of receiving low grades can push students to resort to cheating to avoid the negative consequences and stigma associated with academic failure. This is evidenced by the pervasive incidents of assaults on proctors and student suicides, especially in baccalaureate national exams.

Fourth, a lack of preparation or poor study habits can open the door to cheating. Students who procrastinate or have inadequate study techniques may find themselves unprepared for high-stakes exams and turn to cheating as a last-minute solution.

Fifth, insufficient surveillance or lenient exam proctors can tempt students to cheat, even if they did not initially intend to do so. We have all heard students praise lenient invigilators and criticize those who strictly enforce the rules. Even more troubling is that some parents and guardians have become accomplices in this behavior.

Sixth, easy access to resources, especially technology and information online, has made cheating easier. Unfortunately, technology has dual negative impacts: it distracts many students from exam preparation and provides easy access to cheating during exams. Cell phones and AI tools are now more reliable and accessible for cheating than traditional methods like copying off of classmates.

Seventh, a lack of strong ethical principles leads some students to rationalize cheating by downplaying its seriousness or believing that everyone else is doing it. Sadly, many students who cheat still see themselves as principled, justifying their actions for reasons they consider legitimate.

Eighth, cheating is deeply ingrained in our culture. Students observe that dishonesty is often rewarded in politics and business, shaping their perceptions of cheating based on what they see from role models and society as a whole. When students witness individuals advancing through cheating, they may feel inclined to cheat themselves, regardless of the consequences.

Ninth, a toxic educational environment may increase the students’ proclivity to cheating. If students perceive their teachers or educational institutions as unfair, overly punitive, or leniently punitive, they might cheat as a form of resistance or because the environment makes cheating favorable.

Tenth, peer influence plays a significant role in cheating. As the proverb goes, "Birds of a feather flock together": friends or classmates who cheat can encourage others to do the same, thereby fostering a normalized culture of dishonesty. The situation has reached a critical point where some students openly boast about their ability to cheat and get away with it.

One of the most concerning consequences of the normalization of cheating is its impact on equal opportunities. Cheating creates an uneven playing field where those who engage in dishonest behavior gain an unfair advantage over those who do not. This undermines the principle of meritocracy and perpetuates inequality. When success is achieved through deceit rather than ability and effort, it demoralizes students who strive to succeed honestly and perpetuates a cycle of unfairness.

To combat this issue, it is crucial to promote a culture of integrity and ethical behavior, requiring coordinated efforts from individuals, institutions, and society at large. Also, educational reforms are essential to align assignments with students' interests and needs, reducing the temptation to cheat due to perceived task irrelevance. Furthermore, stringent enforcement of laws and policies is vital to prevent the normalization of cheating from becoming entrenched as a permanent norm. Finally, outdated exam formats should be updated to align with modern learning methods and students learning  interests and styles and to mitigate contemporary forms of cheating.