On June 15th, over 386,000 final-year high school students in France will take their philosophy written exam, marking the beginning of the written exams for the high school baccalaureate system. This is also a time when education officials are particularly vigilant about the risk of cheating using increasingly sophisticated technological devices.
According to the French Ministry of Education , current forms of cheating are not limited to traditional cheat sheets but also involve the use of smartwatches, smart glasses, miniature earphones, and many other connected devices. All school districts have been equipped with electronic signal detectors capable of detecting mobile phones, smartwatches, or other transmitting devices in examination rooms.
In late May, Education Minister Edouard Geffray warned students against jeopardizing their future through exam cheating. Under current regulations, violators can face reprimands, bans from national exams for up to five years, and even criminal prosecution in serious cases.
Criminal penalties can range from three years in prison and a €45,000 ($52,000) fine for forgery; three years in prison and a €50,000 ($58,000) fine for document alteration; and even up to ten years in prison and a €1 million ($1.16 million) fine for identity fraud.
A new feature this year is that authorities can handle cheating even after the exam has ended. According to a decree issued last February, if signs of cheating are detected during the grading process, the disciplinary committee can still initiate review procedures. Forms of punishment include canceling one or more exam papers, or even canceling the entire exam results in particularly serious cases.
Statistics from the French Ministry of Education show that cheating in the Bac exams is on the rise. In 2025, the agency recorded 1,208 cases of violations, a 30% increase compared to the previous year. Of these, 833 cases were referred to the disciplinary committee for review, and 634 cases ultimately resulted in penalties.
Technological devices now account for the largest proportion of cheating cases, with 55% of detected instances. This is followed by traditional cheating methods, accounting for 24%. Notably, the use of AI accounted for 8.5% of detected cheating cases.
The rapid development of AI is posing new challenges to the French education system. Many teachers say they are increasingly limiting homework assignments due to concerns that students will use AI to create complete assignments in just minutes. However, even in-class tests are not entirely immune to this phenomenon.
Marie-Caroline Missir, Director of the educational and youth research organization Vers le Haut, believes that AI is creating a turning point that forces the education sector to reconsider how it teaches, assesses, and delivers knowledge. According to her, the current challenge is how schools can both adapt to new technologies and ensure students truly master fundamental skills.
Ms. Missir suggested strengthening the role of oral assessment methods and encouraging new experimental models, rather than continuing with large-scale reforms to the Bac exam in the context of the education system having undergone many changes in recent years.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/phap-manh-tay-chong-gian-lan-thi-cu-thoi-ai-post968938.html
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