City Police asked to help safeguard entrance exam
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The two are no longer active in the business after they found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)