'Exam cheating is widespread'

MORE than two-thirds of students admit they cheat in exams, a new poll has revealed.

The study by two French academics, Pascal Guibert and Christophe Michaut, claims to be the first major research into the extent of cheating in the French school system.

The poll asked 1,815 university students whether they broke the rules at any stage in their education so far.

In total, 70.5% said they had cheated at one point or another.

Cheating was the most prevalent between the ages of 11 and 15, at collège, with 48.3% of pupils saying they broke exam rules.

The findings come as 15-year-olds across France prepare to sit their final brevet exam this morning ahead of the summer break.

Some 35.6% of respondents said they had cheated at lycée and 11.4% at university.

The researchers found cheating became a habit - those who did it at university had started at early stages in their education.

According to the study, pupils often shared the workload and ideas among each other during the test, or took notes or mobile phones into the exam room.

One respondent told the researchers: "I cheat [at university] because the amount of information we are expected to learn is huge. The benefits outweigh the risks and the chances of being detected are very slim."

Students caught cheating at the baccalauréat face a five-year ban on retaking the exams. Universities can exclude students for anywhere between a month and five years.

Lorraine Swanson - Fotolia.com