High-tech cheats lead to RSU test re-do
Rangsit University (RSU) yesterday cancelled entrance exams for its College of Medicine and two other faculties after three students were found to have used hi-tech devices provided by a gang to cheat during the exams.
According to an announcement on its website, RSU asked more than 3,000 students who took the exams for the College of Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Faculty of Pha rmacy on Saturday and yesterday to re-take the exam on May 31 and June 1 free of charge. It cited “cheating carried out by a well-organised syndicate using electronic devices” as the reason for the cancellation.
Nares Pantaratorn, vice-president of RSU’s academic affairs, told the Bangkok Post that each of the three cheating students wore a “smart watch” allegedly provided by a private tutoring institute located near the campus to receive test answers.
The syndicate sent three proxies, each wearing a pair of glasses embedded with a video camera, to take the exams. The proxies used the cameras to film the exam questions, then left the testing centre to transfer the footage into laptops after which they emailed it to the tutoring institute. At the institute a team compiled answers that were then sent to the students’ smart watches.
Arthit Ourairat, rector of Rangsit University, yesterday posted photos of the devices on his Facebook page.
Mr Nares said the three gang members with the cameras confessed to being paid 6,000 baht each for the job.
Three cheating students are also involved, only one of whom has admitted to the crime.
According to the student, he gave a 50,000 baht deposit to the gang and was given a smart watch. He was required to pay another 800,000 baht if the gang helped him pass the exam. He agreed to the fee after he saw the institute advertise a 100% passing rate.
“Now we are trying to persuade the other two students to give us information so we can take [legal] action against the academy to the fullest extent,” Mr Nares said.