Brief
VCE exam cheating surge sees 109 students investigated, including AI use
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority reported a 25% jump in cheating cases, including a student caught using ChatGPT on a smartphone.
By Felo News Desk · Published
More than 100 Victorian students were investigated for cheating during the 2025 VCE exams, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) said on Monday, with the number of alleged breaches rising 25 per cent from the previous year.
What happened
The VCAA disclosed that 109 pupils were under investigation for misconduct in the 2025 VCE examinations. Cases included a student who attempted to upload exam questions to ChatGPT via a smuggled smartphone, and another pair of students whose answer sheets were found to be identical, even on incorrect responses.
What the reports add
The authority’s internal data showed the total number of alleged rule breaches in 2025 was 188, up from 106 in 2024. The most common breach category was copying or attempting to cheat (41 investigations, up from eight). Mobile‑phone misuse was the second most frequent issue, with 31 investigations compared with 19 a year earlier. Other breaches involved unauthorised notes, communication between candidates and failure to stop writing after the exam period ended.
What was said
“The VCAA thoroughly investigates all alleged misconduct cases and may reduce a student’s examination score if they are found to have breached examination rules,” a VCAA spokesperson told SMH.
How it came about
Supervisors monitor seating plans and accompany students on toilet breaks to deter cheating. When breaches are confirmed, penalties range from marks deductions and administrative cautions to formal committee reviews. In 2025, 37 students received an administrative caution, 13 were reprimanded, 15 faced a review committee and no action was taken against 44 students.
Key facts
- 109 Victorian students were investigated for cheating in the 2025 VCE exams (smh.com.au)
- Cheating cases rose 25% from 87 in 2024 to 109 in 2025 (smh.com.au)
- A student was caught using ChatGPT via a smartphone during an exam (smh.com.au)
- 188 alleged rule breaches were recorded in 2025, with 41 copying cases and 31 mobile‑phone cases (smh.com.au)
Sources
- [1] smh.com.au — originally reported as “VCE exam misconduct: How students are getting caught for cheating with AI, mobile phones and copying”
