‘The time I got caught cheating’: DU professor’s story on empathy goes viral after catching student cheating

A Delhi University professor’s heartfelt reflection on empathy and second chances in education has struck a deep chord online, amassing thousands of reactions and shares across platforms. Assistant Professor Bhubnesh Yadav of Daulat Ram College shared the story on LinkedIn under the title “The Time I Got Caught Cheating,” describing how a childhood experience shaped his approach to handling a student caught cheating in his class.

Yadav began his post by recalling an incident from 2007, when he was a fourth-grade student and was caught cheating during an English class test.

“I still remember how terrified I was — expecting to be taken straight to the principal’s office. But instead, my teacher looked at me calmly and said, ‘I believe in you. I know you come from a good family. Do you really want your parents to feel bad because you cheated?’”

He added that the teacher’s gentle response had a lifelong impact: “No shouting, no punishment — just words that hit harder than any reprimand could. That moment has stayed with me for life.”

Fast forward to the present, Yadav wrote, he found himself facing a similar situation as a teacher. While conducting a class test, he caught a student cheating with her mobile phone. Despite clear instructions that students could ask for an extra question instead of cheating, one student chose otherwise.

“For a few seconds, I was furious. Then I remembered 2007 — that English test, that teacher, those words,” he wrote.

Yadav said he quietly took the student’s answer sheet and phone, cancelled her test, and later asked her privately why she had cheated. “She softly replied, ‘Sir, I was scared… I didn’t want to lose marks.’”

Moved by her honesty, Yadav told her that everyone deserves a second chance — “like I once got.” That evening, he received an emotional apology email from the student.

The student’s email read: “I sincerely apologize for my behavior… I acted out of fear. You handled the situation with calmness and dignity, and that makes me feel even more ashamed. I’m truly sorry, sir.”

Yadav concluded his post with a reflection that resonated widely: “Sometimes the real lesson isn’t in the textbook, it’s in how we respond when someone makes a mistake.”

The post drew thousands of reactions and comments on LinkedIn, where users praised the professor’s empathy and perspective. One user humorously wrote, “Ok first I thought that this is you writing an email while in 4th class and my only question was how was your English speaking good then.” Another commented, “This is really sweet and kind of you!”

Many others shared similar experiences, calling Yadav’s story “a reminder that compassion teaches better than punishment.”