Cheating during exams isn’t new, but a Malaysian lecturer says students today aren’t even trying to hide it. In a viral social media post, he revealed that some students were caught using ChatGPT in plain sight during an exam.
According to the lecturer, students placed their phones between their thighs while answering questions, opening ChatGPT to get answers. He described the method as obvious and uninspired, joking that hiding notes in long sleeves would have been less conspicuous.
Students caught in the act are allowed to finish their exams, but their names and matriculation numbers are recorded and forwarded to the examination and registry departments. Penalties include mark deductions or receiving zero for the paper; no on-the-spot fines are issued.
The post quickly sparked reactions online. Many netizens noted that cheating used to require far more creativity, such as hiding notes in headscarves, writing on arms, or stashing cheat sheets in pens, erasers, and water bottles.
While the discussion was largely humorous, some agreed that relying on phones and AI tools has made cheating easier to spot and harder to conceal.
