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Barnama
10 hours ago
- Barnama
- The Dark Side Of AI In Universities: Are We Celebrating Cheating?
22/07/2025 03:55 PM Opinions on topical issues from thought leaders, columnists and editors. By : Assoc Prof Dr Azmi Abdul Latiff Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become the shiny new tool in today's classrooms. From helping university students correct English grammar in their assignments to assisting lecturers in creating materials, AI is reshaping education at lightning speed and has become very resourceful, pushing search engines like Google aside. But lurking beneath the excitement is a worrying trend: the growing over-reliance on AI and the celebration of cheating through it. Recently, I came across a post on social media where a local university student openly boasted about using AI to complete assignments. He claimed that he could complete the tasks given even at the eleventh hour, by relying on AI to generate essays and reports, without getting caught by lecturers. Shockingly, this was not whispered in shame but proudly shared, as if it were a clever achievement. Such a growing overreliance on AI tools when completing assignments raises serious concerns. Universities risk producing graduates who not only lack the professional competence to perform in the real world but may also emerge as individuals with questionable work ethics and underdeveloped personal responsibility. Are universities, knowingly or unknowingly, breeding a culture where AI cheating is celebrated rather than condemned? AI: A double-edged sword There's no denying that AI tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly and Quillbot have transformed how students approach learning and assignments. They offer instant feedback, improve accuracy, and help learners overcome writer's block. ChatGPT, for instance, is akin to a very resourceful friend who knows everything under the sun and a servant who would prepare anything on the 'master's' request. Nevertheless, AI tools are meant to support learning, not replace it. When students use AI to generate assignments fully, it defeats the purpose of education. They skip the very processes that education is designed to cultivate – critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and self-expression. They may submit polished and remarkable work but walk away with shallow learning. In English language proficiency classes, for instance, the goal is not just to produce correct sentences in assignments but to 'own' the language, to communicate confidently, and to express one's own ideas. A student who depends entirely on AI tools will struggle to perform in real-life interactions, workplace communications, or even oral exams. Why is this happening? Several forces are pushing students down this slippery slope. First, the pressure to perform is immense. Faced with tight deadlines and high expectations, some students view AI as an easy way out. Second, peer influence plays a big role. When students see others using AI to get ahead without adverse consequences, they start believing it's normal or even clever. Third, many students lack awareness of the ethical lines they're crossing. To them, using AI might not feel like cheating because it's not copy-pasting from another student or the internet, it's 'just an app'. Finally, there's an institutional problem: some universities have not yet set clear policies on AI use, leaving both students and teachers in a grey zone of what is allowed and what is not. The risks we overlook When universities fail to address this issue, they risk not only the integrity of assignments but also their entire reputation. Graduates may leave their universities with AI-polished degrees, but their lack of real-world skills, such as communication and interpersonal skills, will quickly be exposed to the job market. Employers will notice. Industries will complain. The institution's credibility and the country's higher education system will slowly erode. Beyond that, overreliance on AI erodes the teacher-student relationship. Instead of seeing lecturers as mentors guiding their learning, students start viewing them as obstacles to outsmarting. The students will celebrate every time they complete their AI-generated assignments without getting caught by the teachers. This undermines the entire spirit of education. What needs to change? Universities must act now to reclaim the narrative. First, set clear AI guidelines: Define what counts as acceptable assistance (e.g., grammar checks) and what crosses the line (e.g., full essay generation). Second, teach ethical AI use. Integrate discussions about responsible AI practices into the curriculum. Third, design better assessments. Assessments that require students to do physical oral presentations, handwritten reflective journals, and in-class tests and discussions are much harder to fake with AI. Next, train lecturers to detect AI-generated work and, more importantly, design learning tasks that promote originality and critical engagement. Most importantly, we need to rebuild the value of effort and learning among students. Education should not be reduced to chasing grades or tricking systems. It should be about growth, discovery, and building human capacities that no machine can replicate. Technology should serve, not take control AI is here to stay, but so are the values of integrity, effort, and human learning. As educators and institutions, we must ensure that technology serves these values, not undermines them. For students, please stop celebrating the clever use of AI to cheat and start championing the honest, sometimes messy, but ultimately rewarding process of real learning. -- BERNAMA Assoc Prof Dr Azmi Abdul Latiff is Dean of the Centre for Language Studies at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM). (The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy or position of BERNAMA)
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
2006 Mumbai train blasts case: CM Fadnavis calls Bombay high court verdict acquitting all 12 'very shocking'; vows to challenge in Supreme Court
NEW DELHI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday condemned the Bombay high court verdict acquitting all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, calling it 'very shocking' and stating the state government would challenge it in the Supreme Court. 'The verdict of the Bombay high court is very shocking and we will challenge it in the Supreme Court,' Fadnavis told reporters. Earlier in the day, a special bench of the Bombay high court set aside the 2015 judgment of a special MCOCA court that had convicted the 12 accused, including five who were given the death penalty. The high court said the prosecution 'utterly failed' to prove its case. Also read: 2006 Mumbai train blasts: Bombay HC acquits all 12 accused; says prosecution utterly failed to prove case against them Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi reacted to the verdict by saying, 'This is very sad, instead of giving them the death penalty, they have been acquitted. This shows that the case we presented was not foolproof, it had loopholes; I believe this is the fault of the state government. The state government did not take it seriously and present a serious argument, which is why this decision has come... I hope that Maharashtra's Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Chief Minister, will challenge this Court verdict. ..' BJP leader Kirit Somaiya also expressed concern over the acquittals. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn How To Write Faster for Work (Find Out Now) Grammarly Learn More Undo 'In these 19 years, several members of their families died, they migrated, they forgot about it. But this is a huge jolt that after 19 years, it is being said that nothing had happened. An incident did take place, it was expected of the judiciary to pronounce a punishment. But they were pronounced innocent. Does this mean that there was fraudulence in the lower court or was there issues in the 2006 investigation? But topmost legal experts will do a presentation before the Supreme Court and there will be justice,' he said. The high court, in its 671-page judgment, observed that the prosecution failed to establish the type of explosive used and found the confessional statements inadmissible due to allegations of torture. It also noted irregularities in the identification parade and found several prosecution witnesses unreliable. The High Court began its 671-page judgment by stating, 'Punishing the actual perpetrator of a crime is a concrete and essential step toward curbing criminal activities, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring the safety and security of citizens. But creating a false appearance of having solved a case — by presenting that the accused have been brought to justice — gives a misleading sense of resolution. This deceptive closure undermines public trust and falsely reassures society, while in reality, the true threat remains at this is what the case at hand conveys. ' The case involved seven blasts on Mumbai suburban trains during peak evening hours on July 11, 2006, which killed 189 and injured over 800 people. The trial court had relied heavily on confessions recorded under MCOCA provisions. The High Court found these lacked credibility and raised serious doubts about the investigation and trial process. Meanwhile, defence advocate Tahera Qureshi who represented one of the accused, says, "We are very happy with today's decision because we had been waiting for this for 19 years, especially after the sentence was imposed and 4-5 people received death sentences. I represent Zamir Sheikh, one of the accused. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, believing that he knew the incident was going to happen. Then he allegedly went abroad for training and afterwards returned to India, where he participated in inspection. .. When my client was arrested, he was 25-26 years old and came from a middle-class family. He was falsely implicated in this case..." 'Prosecution failed to establish type of bomb used' Here's what court observed: Very abnormal that witnesses could identify accused after four years Prosecution evidence not safe to base conviction Some witnesses were stock witness Witness who 'saw' bombs being assembled remained silent for 100 days, originally a suspect. Changed statement.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Fly ash leak from barge raises environmental concerns in Sunderbans
1 2 3 Kolkata: After widespread media reports on the midstream mishap involving a Bangladeshi fly ash barge, 'Suhan-Malati', which is now nearly 80% submerged in the Muriganga river, authorities stepped up their response. A large-scale operation was carried out on Saturday to manually transfer fly ash from the stricken vessel to boats for safer disposal on the riverbank. However, the slow manual process, further hindered by high tides, is expected to take several days. To speed up the process, an empty barge is now en route to the site. Officials said the liquefied fly ash will be pumped directly into this barge, which will then transport the cargo to Bangladesh. "This method is faster and minimises the risk of further contamination," said a representative of the handling agency. But the environmental threat may already be unfolding. "A large quantity of fly ash has already seeped into the river," said Satinath Patra, secretary of the Sunderbans Samudrik Matsyajibi Union. "The livelihoods of small-scale fishermen using two- or three-cylinder boats in this stretch will be severely affected, as fish density is bound to decline. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn How To Write Faster for Work (Find Out Now) Grammarly Learn More Undo Long-term ecological damage is inevitable." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Former Jadavpur University pro vice-chancellor and chemical engineer Siddhartha Dutta warned of serious health risks. "Fly ash contains both soluble and insoluble heavy metals. If humans come into contact—while bathing or fishing—it can enter the body through skin or inhalation, potentially affecting the liver, lungs, and kidneys. Fish, too, can accumulate these toxins, especially in the liver and gills, posing risks to human consumers. " The agency spokesperson claimed, "Fly ash is not mixing with the river water. Even at the damaged point, it solidifies like cement on contact with water." He said several sacks of fly ash were sealed and relocated on Friday night, but the full clearing operation will still take three more days. "Only after that can repairs begin," he added. Kakdwip SDO Madhusudan Mandal acknowledged the incident and said, "I briefed my higher authorities in detail. I have nothing more to say to the press at this moment." Meanwhile, C Dey & Co, which manages the welfare and legal compliance for the foreign crew aboard the vessel, assured, "We don't want any contamination. We are in touch with parties that can safely repurpose the fly ash." Environmentalists are now calling for an immediate scientific assessment of the fly ash spill's impact on aquatic biodiversity in the fragile Sunderbans ecosystem.
CNET
4 days ago
- CNET
You Can Detect AI Writing With These Tips
As long as there's been learning in the world, there's been cheating. But it's evolved in 2025, and students who would once have completed their assignment using someone else's work can now just use an AI writing tool for free in 30 seconds flat. There's no need to shell out cash for a shady essay-writing services where an unscrupulous person writes 1,200 words for you on the fall of the Roman Empire when you've got free access to AI. As a professor of strategic communications, I encounter students using AI tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly and EssayGenius on a regular basis. It's usually easy to tell when a student has used one of these tools to draft their entire work. The telltale signs include ambiguous language and a super annoying tendency for AI to spit out text with the assignment prompt featured broadly. How to tell if it was written by AI Some of the most common ways to tell if something was written using AI are: Key terms from your assignment prompt are used repeatedly. Inaccurate facts are included, thanks to the AI chatbot hallucinating. Sentences don't sound natural. Explanations are generic and repetitive, rather than actually leading anywhere. The tone doesn't sound like their usual writing style. For example, a student might use ChatGPT -- an AI chatbot that uses large language model learning and a conversational question and answer format to provide query results -- to write a short essay response to a prompt by simply copying and pasting the essay question into the tool. Take this prompt: In 300 words or fewer, explain how this SWAT and brand audit will inform your final pitch. This is ChatGPT's result: Screenshot by Rachel Kane/CNET I have received responses like this, or those very close to it, a few times in my tenure as a teacher, and one of the most recognizable red flags is the amount of instances in which key terms from the prompt are used in the final product. Students don't usually repeat key terms from the prompt in their work in this way, and the results read closer to old-school SEO-driven copy meant to define these terms rather than a unique essay meant to demonstrate an understanding of the subject matter. But can teachers use AI tools to catch students using AI tools? I devised some ways to be smarter in spotting artificial intelligence in papers. Catch AI cheaters Here's how to use AI tools to catch cheaters in your class. Understand AI capabilities There are AI tools on the market that can scan an assignment and its grading criteria to provide a fully written, cited and complete piece of work in a matter of moments. Some of these tools include GPTZero and Smodin. Familiarizing yourself with tools like these is the first step in the war against AI-driven integrity violations. Do as the cheaters do Before the semester begins, copy and paste all your assignments into a tool like ChatGPT and ask it to do the work for you. When you have an example of the type of results it provides specifically in response to your assignments, you'll be better equipped to catch AI-written answers. You could also use a tool designed specifically to spot AI writing in papers. Get a real sample of writing At the beginning of the semester, require your students to submit a simple, fun and personal piece of writing to you. The prompt should be something like "200 words on what your favorite toy was as a child," or "Tell me a story about the most fun you ever had." Once you have a sample of the student's real writing style in hand, you can use it later to have an AI tool review that sample against what you suspect might be AI-written work. Ask for a rewrite If you suspect a student of using AI to cheat on their assignment, take the submitted work and ask an AI tool to rewrite the work for you. In most cases I've encountered, an AI tool will rewrite its own work in the laziest manner possible, substituting synonyms instead of changing any material elements of the "original" work. Here's an example: Screenshot by Rachel Kane/CNET Screenshot by Rachel Kane/CNET Now, let's take something an actual human (me) wrote, my CNET bio: Screenshot by Rachel Kane/CNET The phrasing is changed, extracting much of the soul in the writing and replacing it with sentences that are arguably more clear and straightforward. There are also more additions to the writing, presumably for further clarity. Can you always tell if something was written using AI? The most important part about catching cheaters who use AI to do their work is having a reasonable amount of evidence to show the student and the administration at your school if it comes to that. Maintaining a skeptical mind when grading is vital, and your ability to demonstrate ease of use and understanding with these tools will make your case that much stronger. Good luck out there in the new AI frontier, fellow teachers, and try not to be offended when a student turns in work written by a robot collaborator. It's up to us to make the prospect of learning more alluring than the temptation to cheat.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
I never thought ill of him: Vishal Jethwa on ignoring 'Homebound' co-star Ishaan Khatter at Cannes '25
Actor Vishal Jethwa has broken his silence on the backlash he and actress Janhvi Kapoor received for reportedly ignoring Ishaan Khatter during an interview regarding the global premiere of the film 'Homebound' at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Actor Vishal Jethwa has broken his silence on the backlash he and actress Janhvi Kapoor received for reportedly ignoring Ishaan Khatter during an interview about their global premiere of the film 'Homebound' at the Cannes Film Festival 2025. Vishal Jethwa is one of the emerging stars of Indian who got his breakthrough with his negative role in RMukerji's 'Mardaani 2', released in 2019. Though this film became a domestic hit, the global fame for the actor was yet to come, as his performance was reportedly overshadowed by superstar Rani Mukerji's powerful portrayal of a cop. Neeraj Ghaywan 's 'Homebound' served as the perfect platform for the actor to showcase his work on global platforms after it was nominated in the Un Certain Regard award category at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Along with him, the movie also starred Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter in the lead roles. With fame, the 'Mardaani 2' actor also came under the radar of controversy when he was seen talking to co-star Janhvi Kapoor while sitting next to Ishaan Khatter, who was giving an interview to a journalist about the 'Homebound' nomination at Cannes 2025. It led to several media reports stating that the Vishal allegedly ignored Ishaan during the Cannes premiere. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Write Better, Work Smarter With This Desktop App Grammarly Install Now Undo The actor has now opened up about the viral video and clarified that he harbours no ill feelings towards his co-star, Ishaan Khatter. While talking to ANI, Vishal Jethwa cleared the air around the reports of a tiff between him and his 'Homebound' co-star Ishaan Khatter. When asked about the possible tension between him and Ishaan, the actor disagreed with such rumours. He went on to praise his co-star's dedication to work and cinema, saying that he "looks up to him" and is "inspired" by his commitment to the craft. "There is nothing like this. I never thought ill of him (Ishaan). We are good well-wishers of each other, and I look up to Ishaan. I learn a lot from him, and I was inspired by his work after watching it. In fact, when we completed the film, I wondered how Ishaan remained dedicated to his craft. I learnt a lot from him," said Vishal Jethwa. While addressing the rumours, the 'Mardaani 2' actor said that he doesn't believe in competition because, according to him, it is a "never-ending game." "I am not competitive in real life. It's not a good feeling to constantly ponder how I can pass others or how I can beat them. It's a never-ending game," said Vishal Jethwa. As for his future plans, the actor wants to "sustain" his current position in Bollywood and just wishes to "move forward" with good films. "I have held a very satisfactory position for many years. I am very content. I am so proud of myself. I just hope that I can sustain my current position. I want to move forward. I will move forward a lot," concluded Jethwa. Vishal Jethwa has been nominated for the Best Actor Award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, along with the film being nominated to be screened there. The Film festival is set to take place from August 14. The film will also be screened at the Toronto Film Festival 2025. 'Homebound' also received a nine-minute-long standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival 2025. Vishal Jethwa described the breakout success of 'Homebound' and receiving global fame as one of the "rare opportunities" in an actor's life. "I just hope that whatever things are coming in front of me, I should enjoy it as much as possible and experience it as much as possible. Because this is happening for the first time in my life, and such an opportunity doesn't come every time," said Vishal Jethwa. 'Homebound' revolves around two childhood friends from a small North Indian village who chase a police job that promises them the dignity they've long been denied. But as they inch closer to their dream, mounting desperation threatens the bond that holds them together, as Variety describes it. Director Neeraj Ghaywan described 'Homebound' as "a deeply personal story about friendship, dignity, and survival." "It's about people who are often unseen, and the quiet strength they carry in a world that rarely pauses for them," said the director, adding that he hopes the film "helps us look closer--with empathy--and see what we've been conditioned to ignore." Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese serves as an executive producer on the film.
