City Police asked to help safeguard entrance exam

JAKARTA (JP): The organizing committee of the state university entrance exam has asked the City Police to help safeguard the upcoming exam against joki, an executive said.

Joki literally means hired people who furtively take the test for students to improve their scores.

Budi Sampurno, one of the coordinators for the exam in Jakarta, said Monday police help was needed to anticipate the possible reappearance of joki in this year's exam.

Various cases of hiring joki have taken place over the past few years. Last year alone the committee uncovered 1,405 cases of cheating during the exam, including practices of hiring joki.

"Learning from past experiences, the cooperation with police provides one of the best mechanisms in eliminating joki and other forms of cheating during the exam," he said.

He said exam numbers for each test location have been randomly drawn from registration offices to prevent joki from buying all numbers available for the same test room.

Besides, he said, all numbers will be distributed just a few days before the exam, which is scheduled from June 17 to June 18.

Over 40,000 registration forms, priced between Rp 35,000 (US$14.34) and Rp 50,000 each, have been sold throughout the city as of Monday. Registration ends on June 13.

"Due to the large number of participants, cheating cases involving joki may still occur this year," he said.

He also did not rule out possible cheating through the use of electronic devices during the exam.

Two former joki, who requested anonymity, told The Jakarta Post separately that a few years ago they charged clients about Rp 10 million each to sit in for the exam to enter a favorite school at a leading university, in Jakarta and Bandung, West Java.

The two are no longer active in the business after they found permanent jobs, but they said they have recruited bright first and second-year university students to replace them.

It was also learned that students have taken intensive preparatory courses as the university entrance exam draws near.

Some students preparing for the exam have expressed objections to cheating practices, because it would lessen their chances in passing the exam.

"It's not fair if my chance to go to a university goes to one who can pay the services of a joki," said Yuliana taking a preparatory course on Jl. Cikini, Central Jakarta.

Only 63,753 of 357,452 prospective students were admitted to 89 state universities throughout the country last year.

State universities are the favorite choice of students due to low tuition fees and adequate educational facilities. The government heavily subsidizes state universities, making tuition lower for students. (03)