Impostors prosper in Russian exam scam

[emad]

A new breed of double agent is subverting Russia's exam system: the surrogate student who's paid to sit your test

Tom Parfitt in Moscow
Wednesday August 10, 2005

It was something about the girl's chest that did not look quite right when she showed up for the psychology exam at Moscow State University.
It was, well, too big and lumpy, thought the security guards, who decided she might have a sheaf of papers stuffed down her blouse. That was when they noticed the crude makeup, and realised the teenager was actually a boy dressed up as his sister.

As millions of school and university students across Russia sit entrance tests and final exams this summer, a new growth industry has emerged. "Surrogate students" are being recruited to sit exams in place of dim or ill-prepared pupils who are desperate to secure a pass.

A few - like the Moscow cross-dresser - are simply helping friends or relatives. But most are earning hundreds or even thousands of dollars from agencies that act as intermediaries between students and the "dvoyniki"(doubles).

The penchant for cheating is sure to worry universities in Britain as they draft increasing numbers of Russian students, who hitherto have had a good reputation.

http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/worldwide/story/0,9959,1546206,00.html

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. Not limited to Russia

When I taught at a state university, I heard from colleagues who taught large lecture classes that they had to check IDs at the door on major exam days, because some of the rich but dim students would send in ringers, assuming that the professor wouldn't notice.

[wli]

4. happened while I was in college, too

[darkism]

2. I've always had to show my ID when turning in a test in a large lecture.

Sign of the times, I guess.

[NYC]

3. We were fingerprinted for the CPA exam.

Every time we entered.

Edit: The exam is given in parts, and covers several days.