The AIEEE paper leak ruffled a lot of feathers; although paper leaks are not uncommon in India, that's no consolation for you if you had spent months preparing for the exam and your day was ruined. We posted about the leak and the delay in the exam last Sunday as soon as it happened - and now CBSE has scheduled <a href="http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-04/bangalore/29508450_1_aieee-exam-exam-centre-afmc-exam">a second chance for those who couldn't give the exam</a>. But the paper leak got me thinking - most of us have cheated in an exam at some point or another in our life. Whether it was as innocent as asking the person next to you for the answer, or as diabolical as offering money to the teacher who was checking the test.
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.indiacollegesearch.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/personnes30210.bmp"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-48" title="Cheating" src="http://www.indiacollegesearch.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/personnes30210.bmp" alt="Cheating" width="328" height="166" /></a></p>
If you have never ever cheated or even wanted to cheat, then you're like my friend Parul, and I don't know whether I'm really impressed or really disappointed by you. But I thought it might be fun to look at the lighter side and talk about some of the ways in which we cheat:

<strong>- </strong><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Ask other people:</strong></span> Well, this is the oldest trick in the book. Just ask your friend for the answer. Its pretty effective as there's no way for the invigilator to prove that you were cheating.

<strong>- Sign Language:</strong> OK, in my experience this only works for multiple choice questions. 1 finger means A, 2 means B and so on. Just ask your friend for the question you don't know by indicating the number (with sign language), and they can answer back the correct choice with their fingers. Some people take this to next level - using their feet. 1 tap means A, 2 means B and so on. A teacher will get suspicious if you randomly keep raising your fingers, but who keeps a track of foot taps? Smart.

<strong>- Farras:</strong> They're called 'crib sheets' in other countries, but in India its always 'farre', and they're pretty self explanatory. Just carry your notes in small pieces of paper and you can hide them at a variety of places - from your pockets to socks, belt and anywhere else where the examiner won't notice!

<a href="http://www.indiacollegesearch.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/cheating2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-46" title="Farras" src="http://www.indiacollegesearch.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/cheating2-300x199.jpg" alt="Farras" width="300" height="199" /></a>

<strong>- Grabbing the answer sheet:</strong> Take your friend's answer sheet and copy the answers - simple! Its probably the most convenient way to get an answer, but it’s always harder to return the sheet than to steal it because the teacher's already suspicious by then.

<strong>- Buying a leaked paper:</strong> Personally, I would not do this - this is where cheating stops being fun and starts getting serious business. Just imagine telling your parents that not only do you want to cheat, you want them to be involved and pay money for a leaked paper! (Where did you think you were going to get Rs 6 lakh to buy the AIEEE paper? Pocket money?)

<strong>- Offering the teacher money:</strong> Okay, so you're a real badass and too lazy to even search the answers of a leaked question paper. What do you do? Simply write in your answersheet how much you're willing to pay for marks. If the paper-checker buys it, great. If not, you're in some serious trouble.

<strong>- Hiding stuff in the bathroom:</strong> This is something most kids do in junior school. Just hide your notes in the bathroom and request to be excused during the exam. How can a teacher say no to a little kid who has to go to the loo? This stops working for the more serious exams (boards, entrances) as all bathrooms are checked, you're rarely allowed to go and the risks are just too high.

<strong>- My method: </strong>OK, its not like I've got a copyright on this. But this is what I used during high school. The guy who sat behind me in the exam (by roll number) was a good friend who was also preparing for engineering entrance. We'd finish answering the questions that we knew, then circle the ones we didn't know on our question papers. Quickly drop the question papers on the ground and pick up each other's paper (usually below the desk). After writing the formula/answers for the other person's questions, exchange again and then both would answer the remaining questions! It worked really well - we were nearly top of the class every time we did this, but it requires both people to know a majority of the syllabus. You can also decide in advance who will prepare what chapters!

<a href="http://www.indiacollegesearch.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/1343914517munna_5.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-49" title="Munnabhai method" src="http://www.indiacollegesearch.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/1343914517munna_5-300x225.jpg" alt="Munnabhai method" width="300" height="225" /></a>

<strong>- Munnabhai method:</strong> This is the ultimate way to cheat. But you've got to be a real badass to use this - like Munnabhai. Just blackmail/threaten the teacher who set the paper to go and give the exam in your name, while you sit and play carom with their family! Its hard to imagine them getting any questions wrong.

These were some of the cool methods I've seen. If there are any innovative ways to cheat that you've seen or heard of, do share them in the comments below.