Dozens Of Indian Parents Scale School Wall To Help Kids Cheat On Exam

Earlier this week, dozens of parents in India were caught illegally scaling a school wall in a misguided effort to help their children cheat on an exam.

Police were called to the school in the Eastern state of Bihar after passersby noticed several adults climbing the side of the brick building.

It quickly became clear that the parents were giving their children, all 10th-grade students, answers to a standardized exam they were taking inside.

Other students had smuggled cheat sheets into the testing room.

Cheating is rather common in India, where the pressure to succeed outweighs almost all else. Still, many local residents were shocked to see parents risking their lives to cheat.

Many of those caught were punished: Over 500 students were expelled, according to some reports, and several parents were detained, though they were later released.

Getting caught cheating on a standardized exam usually results in expulsion but can also come with a heavy fine or even a jail sentence, although such punishments are rarely carried out.

Government officials hope to reduce the instances of cheating but admit enforcing anti-cheating laws is easier said than done.

Education minister PK Shahi said,

According to the reports we've received, there have been complaints about cheating in many places, especially in rural areas. What can the government do to stop cheating if parents and relatives are not ready to cooperate?

The answer: Not a whole lot.

Hopefully, educators in India can find ways to improve the system -- before anyone gets hurt.

Parental guidance, Bihar style. Parents help class 10 students in large-scale cheating http://t.co/4L7xuOoVrQ pic.twitter.com/OI0iFEI8bd — NDTV (@ndtv) March 19, 2015

Cheating in India. #Bihar #HTpage11 pic.twitter.com/modaXzQo7C — Aditya Kalra (@adityakalra) March 19, 2015

Citations: India Students Caught Cheating In Exams In Bihar (BBC News), These Indian Parents Climbed A School Wall To Help Their Kids Cheat On An Exam (Washington Post)