Apparently concerned about potential cheating, a college in southwest India ordered its students to wear cardboard boxes on their heads as they took their exams – prompting condemnation from the state’s education minister.

Around 50 first-year science students at Bhagat PU College in Karnataka were made to sit for exams with cartons covering their heads, according to local media reports. The cardboard boxes had holes cut in the front, restricting students’ line of sight.

Photographs of the peculiar anti-cheating measure show students hunched over their exams, their heads obscured by re-tooled cardboard receptacles. Predictably, the photos spread across social media, catching the attention of horrified government officials.

Students "thinking inside" the box. Ashamed that a college in #Karnataka#India have compelled students to wear cardboard boxes to prevent cheating. Where are we heading to with education, especially with such practices on assessments in today's 21st century age. #Educationpic.twitter.com/dC7Bt0SJMI — Francis Joseph (@Francis_Joseph) October 19, 2019

#Karnataka students made to wear cartons on their heads to avoid copying in exams. pic.twitter.com/FOagX0U0tz — dinesh akula (@dineshakula) October 19, 2019

After learning about the incident, State Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar said that the students had been treated “like animals” and that the college’s “perversion” would be swiftly dealt with. The state government has reportedly ordered the college to immediately stop the practice.

The college’s director told the Times of India that students gave their full consent to participate in the experiment, which he said aimed solely to “curb malpractice.” He said, however, that his institution would comply with any directive it received from the education ministry.

This isn’t the first time that Indian students have been subjected to unusual social experiments in an attempt to bolster scholarly pursuits. Earlier this week, the Uttar Pradesh instituted a blanket ban on cellphones in all colleges and universities – purportedly because pupils were being distracted by their mobile devices.

Also on rt.com Indian state bans cellphones at all colleges and universities

Like this story? Share it with a friend!