SUSHEEL W KARKADA
Ever since exams were invented, students have been finding innovative ways to cheat. Some have succeeded and are in high posts; othershave seen the ugly side ofcheating and paid the price;whereas for a few, it gives a high and a huge sense ofachievement. Of all the methods available to cheat,one of the oldest and most common is the chit (also known as bits). Chits are very small pieces of paper about 1/6th the size of an A4paper, filled with enough condensed information to fill the entire answer sheet!
Not everyone can make these chits because what one writes must not only be extremely small but also clearly legible. Some chit makers call themselves artists, others say they are talented, but the truth is that they are all cheaters!
MODERN CHIT-MAKING
Thanks to modern technology, anyone can make a chit. All you have to do is go to a photocopy shop and ask for a “micro-xerox”. Hey presto, your chit is ready! This is so popular that some shops have small-sized paper to save you the trouble of cutting up A4 sheets! A student studying in a popular engineering college says, “I only micro-photocopy chits for the internals, it is too risky for the externals.”
Students say photocopied chits are easier to understand, and can be passed around to anyone in need. In case of trouble, it can be thrown away and there is no risk of getting caught as
handwriting can be easily identified.
And the businessmen know this too! While A4 sheets cost 30 paise per copy near colleges, micro-copies cost Re 1, even though they use lesser amount of ink. “We know what they use
for, and they don’t seem to have a problem about paying a little more,” says a photocopy shop owner. Another shop owner says, “Some students actually micro-copy entire chapters and it is becoming a common trend.”
Thanks to modern technology, anyone can make a chit. All you have to do is go to a photocopy shop and ask for a “micro-xerox”. Hey presto, your chit is ready! This is so popular that some shops have small-sized paper to save you the trouble of cutting up A4 sheets! A student studying in a popular engineering college says, “I only micro-photocopy chits for the internals, it is too risky for the externals.”
Students say photocopied chits are easier to understand, and can be passed around to anyone in need. In case of trouble, it can be thrown away and there is no risk of getting caught as
handwriting can be easily identified.
And the businessmen know this too! While A4 sheets cost 30 paise per copy near colleges, micro-copies cost Re 1, even though they use lesser amount of ink. “We know what they use
for, and they don’t seem to have a problem about paying a little more,” says a photocopy shop owner. Another shop owner says, “Some students actually micro-copy entire chapters and it is becoming a common trend.”
USING THE CHITS
Once the chits are made, the task is to hide them. These chits have to be hidden in places which are normally not checked but are also easily accessible. “Making the chits is the easy part! Using them is difficult!” says another student.
Once the chits are made, the task is to hide them. These chits have to be hidden in places which are normally not checked but are also easily accessible. “Making the chits is the easy part! Using them is difficult!” says another student.
Chit-making has become a dying art with few takers. And if you decide to get something micro-copied for your exams after reading this, get ready to face the consequences as well! Cheating is like an addiction, once you start it is difficult to stop. And if you are found cheating in an exam, you could ruin your education, so it’s not worth it at all.
But if you are still foolish (or desperate) enough to go to all this trouble, you need luck on your side to get away with it! Anyway, that’s a different story.
The Mirror Squad 