Since the rise of AI-powered chatbots, many smart people have started using ChatGPT and the like to cheat on important exams. We recall, for example, the case of students caught red-handed in Lyon in January 2023. And since then, the trend has not slowed down, in fact, to the point that even some large universities such as Stanford have been forced to take drastic measures (see our article).
But that’s not enough to deter potential cheaters. The proof is in a new case that saw a student devise a particularly elaborate scheme to inflate his grade.
Equipment worthy of a spy movie
The events, which took place in Turkey last week, concerned the TYT. This is a particularly important multiple-choice exam, as it directly affects access to higher education in the country. Those who score an excellent grade will have access to the country’s most prestigious institutions, such as Istanbul Technical University; The others, on the other hand, will have to settle for a less striking course or change their career plan entirely. As you can see, the stakes are very high.
As a result, students are monitored very closely throughout the entire exam. The old techniques of hiding cheat sheets in a pen don’t stand a chance. One student then imagined a much more complex method; To discreetly cheat, he has equipped himself with a damn elaborate arsenal of gadgets.
He replaced one of the buttons on his shirt with a small camera with which he scanned difficult questions, before subjecting them to an unspecified chatbot through a cellular modem camouflaged in the sole of his shoe. The answer to the question was then dictated by a text-to-speech system through a small and discreet earpiece.
A very strong backlash
Fortunately for the integrity of the competition, his plan quickly turned into a fiasco. Alerted by his suspicious behavior, the examiners asked him to leave his table to undergo a search, and his unauthorized equipment was soon discovered.
This is very bad news for the person concerned, because cheating during the TYT is an extremely serious offense in Turkey. According to Reuters, the student has been formally arrested and placed in detention pending a trial during which he will risk a lot. In fact, he could be targeted by charges of counterfeiting and fraud which, under Turkish law, can lead to substantial fines and even a prison sentence depending on the severity. In any case, his university record seems more than compromised… But who knows, maybe he will be able to find a position in a company that is not very careful, but impressed by his boldness and ingenuity!
