The fact that he has cheated in his college entrance exam does appear to be something which should not have been done by my friend. Thinking about his action in doing so, I believe that he may have been in a mental state that instigated him to do so. He may have believed that the college entrance exam is not very significant at the moment and that there is nothing wrong in cheating for a test which will decide whether he should be admitted in the particular college. In effect I am sure he did not ponder over the problem in thinking about the deep rooted consequences of such an action. He would not have been aware that had he been caught cheating he could never have been granted admission and may have been debarred from applying in the college for a few years. The fact that he confided in me about having cheated does show his confidence in me, which also implies that he needs some effective advice so that such action is not repeated by him.
He has already cheated in the test and there is no reason to make him feel guilty about it. But he needs to be counseled about the action being principally wrong in not being a justified measure to determine his caliber in seeking admission to the given college. He needs to understand that this entrance was the first test for him and if he begins his career in this way, it may set a pattern for him in justifying such actions during future tests and exams too. There would ultimately be a time when he would be caught in the misdeed which may prove very detrimental to his future and career. The first time someone makes a mistake, he can be pardoned provided he realizes his mistake and does not repeat the act of delinquency. The most important task is to make him realize that it is wrong to cheat in an exam and that life has in store for us several exams where we just cannot cheat. It is clear that the adverse consequences of claiming credit by unjustified means are not known to him other wise he would not have indulged in such an act.
A student, who is on the verge of making a foray into the independent life of college which grants much more freedom and independence as compared to school life, must be made aware of the risks attached with such independence. He needs to understand that he is answerable for all his deeds to his family, friends, relatives and teachers and nobody is going to pardon him for repeated wrongdoings. He is now stepping into a different world where he is expected to display a greater amount of responsibility and to make achievements on the basis of his own strengths and capabilities. Cheating in the test would enable easy entry into the college, but during the semesters he would have to undergo several tests where he will not be able to cheat. Hence he should understand that cheating in any sphere of life is ruled out. He must also be made to realize that he will gradually reach different stages in life where he will have to set an example in front of peers, juniors and even his children after he marries. He would never allow his son to cheat in any exam. This process of understanding will go a long way in making him realize of the wrong action he has taken.
In making judgment about my friend that he is a cheat, one may forget that humans are a bundle of limitations and that he may have just been unaware that such an action is immoral and unjustified. He may have been in the company of friends who influenced him into thinking that there is nothing wrong with cheating in such a test. The shift from school to college can be utilized as an opportunity for him to change and adopt better habits and practices since the same friends will not be with him in college. It is very much possible that he may be having immense potential to make an excellent mark in life if given the right and appropriate guidance and directions in leading his forthcoming life. Hence it is imperative that he be made to realize of the wrong action he took in cheating in the admission test. After having realized his mistake he will surely adopt a more positive attitude in doing the things in the right perspective. Human tendency is such that nobody can be prefect all the time in terms of the different things that we do in our everyday life. If my friend has cheated, he may have made a mistake and it is proper to give him an opportunity in improving himself instead of labeling him as incompetent or as a cheat.
It is important to provide leverage to my friend on account of the different culture and circumstances that he comes from, as compared to majority of the people in this country. He is from a family that is not sound economically, and his father had expired when he was very young. Having been brought up in a tightly secluded environment he was not much exposed to the rigors of real life situations. He does not understand the implications and consequences of cheating in the exam. He got an opportunity to cheat and he cheated because he felt there was nothing wrong with it. Although ignorance of law is not an excuse, but since he was not caught cheating and had only confided in me, I consider it my duty to apprise him of the wrong action that he took as also of the serious consequence that lie ahead if he does not mend his ways. He will surely understand since he is very receptive to reason and is open minded in realizing the correctness of my advice to him.
The action that my friend took by way of cheating in the college entrance exam is indeed undesirable and incorrect on his part and would have been severely punished had he been caught in the act. Having confided in me of his doing in this regard does indicate that he had the openness to share his actions with me. There may have been an inherent expectation from him for me to advise him in regard to whether it was right or wrong. It is required that he be cautioned that he did take a wrong action and that he must refrain from such activities. More importantly he needs to be counseled at this critical turn in his life, when he is stepping into a new world, about his duties in adopting the most ethical perspectives in leading his future life. He must be conveyed that there is so much to do for him and that the whole world is at his disposal only if he adopts ethical means to achieve his objectives.