Where Are the Roots of Corruption—and How Is It Similar to Addiction?

Let’s Explore the Truth

When we talk about corruption in politics, education, or government offices, we often treat it as a problem at the top. But the real roots of corruption lie elsewhere—deep in our classrooms.

Corruption doesn’t begin in a minister’s cabin or a government department. It begins in the exam hall—with a whisper, a hidden chit, or a stolen glance at a friend’s answer sheet. We casually call it “helping a friend.”

HOW THE SEED IS SOWN

It all starts with a distorted idea of smartness and kindness:

•A student cheats and calls it clever.

•A friend helps someone cheat and calls it loyalty.

•A teacher looks away, thinking it's harmless.

But this is the beginning of moral compromise.

Children begin to internalize dangerous messages:

•“Success matters more than honesty.”

•“If everyone does it, it must be okay.”

And slowly, the brain rewires. What once felt wrong now feels routine—and even justified. This is how the foundation of corruption is quietly laid, long before a person enters a public office.

FROM EXAM HALLS TO PUBLIC INSTITUTION

The student grows up. They become a professional, an officer, or a politician. The setting changes—but the values don’t.

What once was cheating in school becomes:

•Bribery in offices

•Nepotism in hiring

•Scams in public systems 

•Exploitation in politics

CAUSE AND EFFECT: CHEATING BREEDS CORRUPTION

Corruption is not born overnight. It is cultivated.

The normalization of dishonesty in education leads to an entire system built on deceit. 

We start seeing:

•Leaked exam papers (NEET, UP-TET, JKSSB)

•Fake degrees and forged certificates

•Bribery for college admissions and job placements

•Teacher recruitment scams across states

📌 In a 2023 survey, 64% of Indian students admitted to having cheated at least once in school or college exams.

— [National Academic Integrity Survey, 2023]

These habits don’t disappear—they evolve.

FROM STUDENTS TO SCAMMERS

We often hear about:

•The Commonwealth Games scam

•The Coal Allocation scam

•The Vyapam scam

•Widespread paper leaks in competitive exams

These are not isolated crimes. They are magnified versions of that first dishonest act in a classroom.

What we once called “being smart” is now looting the country. 

LIKE ADDICTION, CHEATING AND CORRUPTION FEEL REWARDING—BUT IT'S A TRAP

Addiction feels rewarding because it gives quick pleasure, making the brain crave more despite long-term harm.

Cheating feels rewarding by giving instant marks without effort and the emotional high of “helping” a friend.

Corruption feels rewarding through easy money and the illusion of generosity when helping relatives or friends bend the rules.

So, in Cheating and Corruption, the brain starts associating dishonesty with success and kindness, creating a loop:

Cheating & Corruption = Smartness + Kindness

This conditioning fuels a craving for bigger shortcuts. Guilt disappears, desire grows.

Just as an addict destroys their health, corruption destroys a nation’s functionality—spreading dis-order, mistrust, stagnation, and hopelessness.

WHERE'S THE EXIT? START AT THE ROOTS

If we want to clean our systems, we must clean our values—from the beginning.

👪 Parents:

•Teach your children that honesty is real help.

•Reward effort, integrity, and character—not just high marks or success.

🏫 Schools and Teachers:

•Make cheating a serious academic offense.

•Introduce value education and moral reasoning.

•Emphasize learning, not just scoring.

📰 Society and Media:

•Stop glorifying jugaad and shortcuts as cleverness.

•Highlight stories of honesty, courage, and ethical success.

•Use social media to raise awareness and start discussions.

A FINAL WORD

“If we want honest leaders, we must raise honest children.”

The journey to a corruption-free nation begins not in Parliament, but in school corridors.

Let’s not raise addicts to shortcuts—but architects of a clean, just, and value-based society.

✋ CALL TO ACTION: BE THE CHANGE, PLANT THE VALUES

Corruption will not disappear by blaming “the system.”

It will end when we stop contributing to it, even in small ways.

Let’s raise a generation that doesn’t need to fight corruption—because they never learned to accept it.

📢 IF THIS MESSAGE RESONATES WITH YOU:

•Share this blog with your circle.

•Talk about it at your school or workplace.

•Post your thoughts on social media with the hashtag #RootOutCorruption.

Together, let's spark a movement that starts at the roots—and rises to the top.