Joki UTBK Syndicate Uncovered, 114 Participants Passed into the Favorite State Campus

SURABAYA - The practice of cheating new student admissions through a computer-based written exam (UTBK) jockey syndicate has finally been uncovered in Surabaya, East Java. At least 114 participants are suspected of having been successfully passed into a number of favorite state universities (PTN) through an organized network that has been operating for 9 years in various regions of Indonesia.

This case was revealed after a jockey was caught while taking the UTBK at the campus of the State University of Surabaya (Unesa). The police said the network worked neatly and involved perpetrators across provinces.

The discovery of the syndicate began with the suspicion of the exam supervisor of the participant with the initials HR from Surabaya. The photo on the administrative document is said to be identical to the data of the previous year's participants, but using a different name.

Suspicions were strengthened when HR was unable to answer simple questions regarding personal identity according to the data on the identity card (KTP) he carried.

Head of the Surabaya Police, Kombes Pol Luthfie Sulistiawan, said the results of the investigation revealed that the syndicate had been operating since 2017. The police identified at least 15 suspects who had different roles in the network.

"This network is very neat and structured under the control of the main coordinator," said Luthfie, Thursday, May 7.

According to the police, the suspects consist of field jockeys, service providers, to fake identity makers. Most of the service users are known to target prestigious faculties, especially medical faculties at a number of favorite PTNs.

Until now, the police have detained 14 suspects and are still hunting for the other two main actors who are suspected of being the controllers of the network.

Meanwhile, the status of hundreds of students who are suspected of passing through the cheating channel is threatened to be evaluated by the campus. The police are also continuing to investigate the possibility of the involvement of other parties in the cheating practice.