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In the last three years, the number of students caught cheating on ProctorU has increased from less than 1% to 8%. With the increasing cases where ProctorU catches learners cheating in online exams, students about to sit for a ProctorU exam wonder, what happens if I got caught cheating on ProctorU? The consequences of cheating on ProctorU can vary, depending on the severity of the crime. Our proctored exam experts examine the fate of students caught cheating on ProctorU and whether the platform disciplines students immediately or leaves it to the exam instructor. They also discuss how ProctorU detects cheating and ways our proctored software can help students bypass the platform’s strict exam cheating mechanisms.

What Happens When I Got Caught Cheating on ProctorU?

Knowing ProctorU’s cheating detection features can help avoid detection in the first place. It uses several cheating detection features to monitor students in an exam, including:

1. Webcam: ProctorU runs on an artificial intelligence program that integrates with the student’s webcam to monitor movements in an exam. It also scans the testing area using infrared technology and confirms the examinee’s ID before the exam.
2. Microphone: Students must have a functional microphone during the exam. ProctorU accesses the microphone to monitor suspicious sounds like human voices and keyboard strokes in the testing area.
3. Browser Extension: ProctorU has browser extensions that students must install before taking the exam. The extension blocks normal browser functions and accesses vital information like web data, browsing history, and privacy settings.
4. Screen monitoring: ProctorU uses screen monitoring technology to detect external apps and software and any suspicious screen activities, like resizing the screen

With such high-tech anti-cheating mechanisms, ProctorU catches many students. Once the ProctorU proctored exam system catches you, it takes the following actions:

Assigns a Value to the Crime

ProctorU assigns a numerical value to different exam cheating acts in an exam. The highly suspicious activities get a higher value, while the lesser crimes get a lower value based on the cheating guidelines. Examples of suspicious cheating activities on ProctorU include switching browsers and communicating, whereas simple mistakes could be eye movements.

Creates an Official Incident Report

ProctorU creates an incident report of suspicious student activities during a proctored exam. The document details activities that could potentially lead to an academic integrity breach. Usually, the report contains the following details:

• Exam-taker names: Full names of the exam taker caught cheating.
• Session details: This includes the institution name, exam name, instructor name, exam date, incident date and time.
• Incident type: This displays the category level of the suspicious activity and the urgency of the case
• Type of Academic integrity: Information here contains subcategories of different academic integrity and where the incident falls in those categories.
• Summary: These are details of the incident and steps taken to curb the issue, such as live proctor pop-up warnings.
• Chat log: This section has a transcribed recording of the communication between the exam taker and proctor during an exam.
• Events: Information from this section details the event timelines, leading to cheating during an exam in chronological sequence.

Submits the Report to the Tutor

After creating the ProctorU cheating incident report, the system sends it to the exam instructor for review. Usually, exam instructors receive a ProctorU incident report via email notification. However, the information is also accessible on the platform via the Incident Report Center.

The Instructor Evaluates and Takes Action

Once the instructor reviews the report, they will assign a punishment based on the degree of crime and school cheating rules. The various punishments students can receive for cheating in a ProctorU proctored exam include:

1. Points or marks deduction – Students who say, “I got caught cheating on ProctorU” could face a minimum 10-point deduction and no specific maximum from their overall score in the exam.
2. Retaking or repeating an exam – Cheating students can retake the exam with different questions and in a stricter testing environment.
3. Complete removal or expulsion from the exam – The system can cancel the student’s exam and any scores declared null and void.
4. Suspension: The punishment for cheating in exams could include serving a minimum suspension period out of school.

Note that ProctorU never penalizes students in any way for cheating in an exam.

What to Do After I Got Caught Cheating on ProctorU?

ProctorU doesn’t inform students when it flags them for cheating during an exam unless the irregularity is too severe and demands immediate action. Students may not know that the system flagged them in an exam until the report gets to the live human proctor and original examiner.

If you suspect the system detects you’re cheating in an exam, stop all cheating activities and finish your exam without further complications. After the test, approach the examiner and explain the situation before they receive the final report from ProctorU. Doing this makes you look less guilty and increases your credibility if the examiner finds any discrepancies in the report.

Effective Ways to Get Away with Cheating on ProctorU

Despite many students saying, “I got caught cheating on ProctorU”, exam takers can bypass the system and cheat in an exam. Here are the effective ways to circumvent the ProctorU system: 

1. Download virtual software: Download screen-sharing software that can open multiple screens simultaneously undetected.
2. Use Bluetooth earpieces: Wear small Bluetooth earpieces and hide them under a beanie or scarf to communicate with an external helper during the exam.
3. Exchange information via WhatsApp web: Open WhatsApp web and pin the questions for the person to research and send the answers.

I Got Caught Cheating on ProctorU: The Final Word

Students who say I got caught cheating on ProctorU can attest to the platform’s strict exam cheating deterrent mechanisms. The consequences of cheating on a ProctorU exam include marks deduction, suspension, or retaking the exam, though minor aggrievances could get away with a warning. Our software guarantees bypassing the ProctorU anti-cheating protocols without detection, allowing our proctored exam experts to do the exam for students.