“Students, listen attentively! Start preparing for the coming examination and this time nobody is going to cheat a single word during the exam. You still have one month for the preparation and start working hard from today, especially the weak students who have to make their timetable and need to put in more effort to study at home in order to pass the exams with good marks,” Mr Sharif, a senior teacher, made this announcement during the morning assembly.

During recess that day, everybody discussed the upcoming exams and its preparations. But Noor Ahmed was busy playing with his friend, Shameem. Both friends were not serious in studies and thus weak in it. They always wasted their precious time in useless things. Even though all the teachers had cautioned them not to waste time and focus on their studies, it had no effect on them.

Jameel, a senior student, saw them playing with junior students and he called out to them.

“Noor Ahmed and Shameem come here please! I want to discuss something important with you,” called out Jameel.

“No, we will not come as we are busy playing. We will meet you later,” responded Noor Ahmed.

“Please, don’t waste your time playing. Come here I need to speak to you,” the senior student again said to them.

They came near him and said, “Okay, what do you want to speak to us about?” Noor Ahmed asked with a bored expression.

“Dear friends! I don’t want you guys to do poorly in your exams. So, kindly don’t waste your precious time in playing and other activities. Rather come join us and make a partner to study with for the preparation of your exam,” Jameel patiently explained to them.

“No way! Why should we start studying and preparing for the exams from now? Let us enjoy playing. There is no need of working hard for the exam as we can pass it by cheating and we will also get good marks!” Shameem said and started laughing.

“Many students find it too difficult to follow the tough path of studying and opt for the shortcut of cheating in exams. Cheating will destroy your life and it is such a dangerous disease that it kills the mind of the students and doesn’t let them get education. Pease stop cheating yourself and don’t be the victim of it,” Jameel tried to explain to them passionately.

“We don’t need your advice. No, we will cheat in the exams at any cost,” said Noor Ahmed loudly and moved towards the playground with Shameem.

That evening Jameel decided to talk to the parents of the two boys about their wrong intentions so that they could guide them. Jameel called up both the parents and shared the morning’s incident with them. The parents were naturally shocked that their sons were planning to cheat and not study. They thanked Jameel for making them aware about their sons’ activities at school.

Incidentally both Noor Ahmed and Shameem were at Noor Ahmed’s house and his father decided to talk to them. Mr Ahmed asked them, “Why are you not preparing for your coming exanimation which is so near?”

“Oh Dad, I am preparing for it and now the preparation is almost done and I will pass it with good marks,” Noor Ahmed answered confidently.

“Why are you lying? I came to know about your plan to cheat in the exams with Shameem, even though you have been urged by your teachers to prepare for the exam. Why have you made such a bad plan to cheat at the exam? What will happen if you work hard and show your skill and knowledge to everyone? Cheating doesn’t offer any advantage to the person doing it. You gain nothing, except a few marks but this gain is not long lasting.

“For instance, if you get a job according to your qualifications, then you would be having just a simple degree but not enough skills to prove yourself worthy of that job. Eventually your inability will become apparent and you will become a failure. Actually, you will be cheating yourself to seek something that you do not deserve. Getting degrees and marks will not make you knowledgeable or successful. Why are you depending on cheating and destroying your own life by it? Stop cheating yourself now and start working hard to gain knowledge and skills that will last for a lifetime,” Noor Ahmed’s father uttered these words as tears filled his eyes.

Listening to these words, Shameem and Noor Ahmed realised that they had actually been thinking of cheating themselves and not their teachers or school. Both the friends promised their parents to do their best in the exams and to achieve their destination without cheating.

Published in Dawn, Young World, August 06th, 2016