UK: Cheating in Exams by Cell Phone Becoming a Worrying Trend

September 25, 2006 – 4:18 pm

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Cheating in exam is a universal phenomenon. Students in every country try for it. Now, cell phone sets have emerged as the latest tool for the students to try to cheat in the exam. In UK, cheating by mobile phone has reached to a worrying level. IT has become such a serious problem that British government is thinking of making exam halls mobile phone proof. Or in other words, they will use technology to block any signal of cell phones. You may think that British government has become too sensitive or acting too tough. Well, a report of Evening Standard has stated about the severity of the problem:

Professor Jean Underwood was commissioned by the education watchdog, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, after more than 4,500 students were penalised for ‘malpractice’ last summer.

The figure - up 27 per cent on the previous year - showed one in four had been caught smuggling mobile phones into exam rooms.

It marked a worrying trend in pupils using the latest digital gadgets to crib answers during school exams.

As well as using their phones to call or text friends for answers or to access the Internet, they have been caught taking in MP3 players and tiny digital handheld devices like PDAs, or personal digital assistants combining phone and Internet functions.

So, I think that it is a matter of time that UK government will make exam halls mobile phone signal proof. This move may receive widespread support too. There is just one problem. Suppose, if the teachers need to use cell phone for any emergency situation. Then the teacher will be helpless too as her cell phone will not work in the exam room. Thus, blocking cell phone signals in the exam hall may not be a very good idea after all in this age of violence and terrorism.

I feel that the best solution is to make sure that the students keep their mobile phone sets inside of their bags.

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