Story highlights Images of parents sneaking their children cheat sheets have dumbfounded many in India

Education remains the way out of poverty for millions of young Indians, but the state is failing many of them

Some parents go to desperate lengths to get their children educated

New Delhi (CNN) The quest to be educated in India has literally scaled new heights.

Images of parents and family members clambering up school buildings and clinging on window ledges to pass cheat sheets to their children have left authorities in despair.

The incident took place on Wednesday in the state of Bihar, where students were writing their year-end grade 10 examinations.

Examples of cheating incidents are not hard to find in India. But, even compared to previous events, this seems to be unprecedented in its blatancy.

Bihar Education Minister PK Shahi told reporters that children won't learn if they're constantly helped by family members. "Government can only hold fair examinations with the help of the parents, society and the children," he said. "This is a collective responsibility."

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