Cheaters or Beaters?

With exam pressure mounting, students go to extremes to pass their tests and maintain good grades. Chaitanya bayanwala explores

The Skirt

Items Required: Gender change to female (not applicable for females), a knee-length skirt and a pen with which you can write on your thighs.

Previous Preparation Required: Write all the information needed for references on the thighs such that it remains covered when the skirt hangs; but when sitting you may pull it up for reference.

The Modulus Operandi (MO): During the exam, feel free to consult your thighs when the teachers are not looking.

The Risks: Fail Safe. Nobody can ask you to raise your skirts.

Items Required: Permission to go to the bathroom.

Previous Preparation Required: A stash of required information hidden in the crevices of the toilet (or body). Keeping electronics is not advised, as there may be contact with water and possible electrocution.

The MO: Go through the question paper as many times as required, until you are sure of all the information that is required. When you are absolutely sure, go to the bathroom, extract the required information and memorize it within five minutes.

The Risks: The bathroom may be occupied, or the cleaner may come and do away with your treasure. To prevent this, plant copies at multiple locations!

The Cargo Jeans

Items Required: An iPod touch, or a similar device which is not a phone, and a pair of cargo jeans.

Previous Preparation Required: Load all the information you may need to consult on the said device.

The MO: When no one is around, take the said device out and consult it, before quickly slipping it in again if someone comes, into of the many pockets of your cargo jeans.

The Risks: The risks are fairly large, but so are the rewards. You potentially have an unlimited library of information. Additionally, in your defense, the device in your hand is not a mobile but an mp3 player.

The Answer Sheer

Items Required: An answer sheet from the previous exam and a clipboard or a trustworthy classmate.

Previous Preparation: Write the required information on the answer sheet, and hide it carefully on your body.

The MO: During the exam, camouflage the previous answer sheet by the current one and consult it casually. Remember to use it like a part of the answer paper, by tucking it appropriately. Sometimes placing a tree in the wood is best place to hide it. For best results, try not to leave the cheat sheet with the answer sheet. Alternatively, you can also ask a friend of yours to pass one of his exam sheets.

The Risks: The only risk is body language. Act normal like its cool, and you’ll get away with it. If you do get caught, stick it out!!

The Classic Peek

Items Required: A trustworthy friend who’s seated nearby and maybe glasses to see far ahead.

Previous Preparation Required: Ask the friend to write in large letters on his answer sheet.

The MO: Keep looking at his paper, and keep copying. This is among the best tried and tested methods, and someone I know once scored over 60 per cent of his marks by doing just that! Remember to keep switching your eyes to other places. You don’t want to look like you are staring after all!

The Risks: The teachers don’t have anything on you, so you won’t get rusticated. But they might request you to change your seat, so be prepared for that! And, then you’ll probably need to find a new ‘trustworthy’ smart friend!

-Author: Gokul Gopalkrishnan

volume 1 Issue 5