EXCLUSIVE: Number of students investigated for cheating at Oxford University has more than DOUBLED since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, figures show

More than twice as many students have been investigated for cheating at Oxford University since the start of the coronavirus pandemic compared to before it began, figures show.

After the first coronavirus lockdown was imposed at the end of March, most exams at the prestigious institution were scrapped.

Instead, while first-year students received automatic pass marks in the cancelled exams, undergraduates in their final year, as well as some postgraduates, were assessed via open-book assessments and other longer pieces of work in which it is easier to cheat.

And the new data, revealed exclusively by MailOnline, shows how the number of suspected cheating cases rose from 26 between March and October 2019 to 55 in the same period this year.

Higher education expert Professor Alan Smithers, the director of the University of Buckingham's Centre for Education and Employment Research , told MailOnline that the figures demonstrated that some students had tried to gain an 'unfair advantage'.

More than twice as many students have been investigated for cheating at Oxford University (pictured, Merton College) since the start of the coronavirus pandemic compared to before it began, figures show

He added that invigilated exams are the 'best way' of making sure this does not happen. 

The figures, revealed by a Freedom of Information request, showed that 36 students were probed for suspected plagiarism in assessments this year.

A further 19 were suspected of colluding in open-book assessments, which are longer than conventional exams and are sat remotely by students in their homes or halls of residence.

Candidates are allowed to access their textbooks, notes and other resources.

The new data, revealed exclusively by MailOnline, shows how the number of suspected cheating cases rose from 26 between March and October 2019 to 55 in the same period this year 

In total, 11 students this year were found to have broken the rules and were slapped with a penalty, with a further 16 still under investigation when the data was compiled.

How exams at Oxford were largely scrapped due to coronavirus

Oxford bosses announced in April that, because of the coronavirus pandemic, there would be no conventional exams in the Trinity term, which ran from mid-April until the end of June. 

Most students are usually assessed via exams at the end of their first and last years.

But for most first-year students this year, exams were cancelled and students were deemed to have passed.

For those in their second and third years - not including those whose third year would be their last - exams for most were deferred.

Final-year undergraduates and postgraduates were assessed via either open-book exams or 'longer pieces of work completed over several days', the university said on their website.   

The data did show that no further action was taken against the students suspected of colluding in open-book assessments.

However, there were only 26 suspected cases of cheating in the same period last year, with just three students eventually confirmed to have broken the rules.

All students in question last year were suspected of plagiarism.

There were no suspected cases of cheating in open-book assessments because they were introduced for the first time this year.

The figures showed that of the suspected cases last year, nine were sent to be considered by conduct and disciplinary panels.

A further six students were given a mark of zero but were allowed to re-submit their piece of work.

Professor Smithers said: 'Invigilated examinations are the best way we have of making sure that what we are assessing is the student's own work.

'Covid has forced Universities to seek alternatives, but as the data from Oxford show this opens up the opportunity for candidates to try to gain an unfair advantage.

'This is regrettable, but understandable given the enormous pressure on them to get a good degree.

'It is reassuring that systems are in place to flush out the miscreants, but I wonder how many have slipped through.' 

A spokesman for Oxford University said: 'This year, more than 23,000 online exam sittings have taken place for more than 1100 exam papers. 

'All students were asked to sign up to an honour code for open-book and closed-book online examinations and the overwhelming majority abided by this. 

'As in any year, only a very small proportion of students were found to have committed academic misconduct and have been penalised accordingly. 

'This is the first time we have run open book examinations at Oxford University and any lessons will be incorporated into future years.'