![We Tried [u]bk's Lively Garden Brunch at Mövenpick JLT Dubai](https://cdnexpatwomanfood.expatwoman.com/s3fs-public/urban%20bar%20and%20kitchen%20brunch%20main.png "We Tried [u]bk's Lively Garden Brunch at Mövenpick JLT Dubai")
UAE's new federal law states that strict penalties can be applied to students caught guilty of cheating in exams
15 March 2024
| Last updated on 15 March 2024
Thinking of cheating your way to a passing grade? Think again.
In February 2024, a federal law was announced in the UAE making cheating in examinations punishable with a hefty fine of up to AED 200,000.
According to the law, cheating "obtaining or attempting to obtain, give, or leak information related to questions, answers, or examination content by illegal means, including penetrating electronic examination systems, falsifying results, or the student possessing and using any information technology means or other illegal means in examination rooms and centres".
Why was this law introduced?
The new law was put into effect to combat cases of students cheating, and applies to public as well as private schools, universities, and colleges in the UAE.
If a student is caught guilty, he or she will be awarded zero marks for the exam they were cheating in, and may face stricter legal penalties depending on the severity of the case.
What acts of cheating in exams does the law forbid?
Students who commit any of the following acts before, during, or after their exams may face tough penalties, as per the UAE's federal law:
- Impersonating a student to take an examination in his or her place.
- Leaking confidential information of the exam's content (questions, answers, etc.).
- Modifying the exam answers after it was submitted.
- Falsifying the exam grades/results received.
- Publishing or promoting answers or questions from the exam by any means.
What are the legal penalties for cheating on an exam in the UAE?
If confirmed guilty of cheating, the student will face disciplinary actions.
As a penalty, he or she will be required to pay a fine. The UAE Ministry of Education (MOE) may add community service as an additional penalty for cheating, or in place of the fine.
Each case of students cheating will be met with different legal procedures, based on the conduct rules and regulations in force at MOE, local educational authorities, and of the school, university, or college's.
