Consensus on cheating

There is widespread acceptance that somehow cheating is not only accepted, it is also expected for success

Not all instances of cheating, or accusations of such, need a high-powered judicial commission. Some are out in the open, done on a routine basis and have long become part of our daily operations manual. Unfortunately, many of these misdeeds are perpetuated by those who are supposedly the guardians of the intellectual debate, ethical decisions and just actions. While many in the academia continue to inspire us all through thought and action, the academic sector overall in Pakistan has not lived up to its promise in embracing ethical values. On the contrary, the continued challenge of plagiarism among faculty casts a shadow of doubt and affects the reputation of the institution as a whole among the general public. This is unfortunate as there are many within the institution who continue to strive for excellence, lead by extraordinary example and ensure that they reflect the best of virtues.

The issue of plagiarism and its manifestations was eloquently articulated in an opinion piece in this newspaper by Dr Munawar A Anees and Maryam Iraj. But the problem of cheating in our academic institutions, unfortunately, is multifaceted and reflects poor judgment by not just researchers, but also students. There is widespread acceptance, particularly by our students, that somehow cheating is not only accepted, in many cases it is also expected for success. From the routine practices of copying problem set solutions to plagiarism in essays, to more elaborate schemes devised by the devious, we as a society recognise that it is something that is very much a part of the system, and something that will always remain a part of the system. Accepting this menace as an integral component paralyses us from doing anything to change it.

The issue of cheating in academia and related disciplines points to a much deeper problem about respecting intellectual property. The irony in this is that property is something that defines our culture. We are quick to split families and create feuds that last generations, all in the name of property. But for us, the definition of property starts and ends with a piece of land, a tangible structure. Intellectual property has still not appeared in our social lexicon. Plagiarism, at its core, is one example of disrespect for someone else’s original effort, someone else’s property. Our collective disrespect is not hard to identify. Roam the streets and you will realise that it is nearly impossible to find legal and legitimate copies of any academic software. Unauthorised, illegal and pirated copies of books and software are widely available and used on a routine basis. Everyone, from vendors on the street to the polished salesperson in shiny stores, partake in making these unauthorised materials available for a price that underscores our acceptance of piracy. Teachers in classrooms would help students find vendors who make these pirated copies available. While the argument often floated about pricing and accessibility is an important one and that needs to be discussed, embracing and perpetuating widespread piracy is hardly the solution. Disagreeing with the pricing policies of Microsoft does not entitle us to create pirated copies. The other widely used argument that ‘everyone is doing it’ embodies a moral shallowness that does not merit discussion.

Disrespect for intellectual property, in all its forms, hurts everyone. Most of all, it is our students and scholars who are interested in making a change through innovation, but struggle due to our consensus on copying and cheating. Something is not quite right when on the one hand, we lament the lack of entrepreneurs, and on the other do little to protect their ideas. Original contributions, through scholarship, research, rigour and insight need to be celebrated and respected. A robust culture of entrepreneurship not only requires elements of creativity and vision, but also a fundamental respect and regard for that creativity.

When it comes to intellectual property, the typical targets are the usual suspects. We say, it is those who are in charge of enforcing copyright and patents that are not doing their job. Indeed, they have some serious way to go, but our problems are much deeper. Strengthening the legal framework may help, but what might help more is strengthening our own ethical values and cultivating a deep respect for originality.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th,  2015.

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