Economic and Political Weekly

Contemporary culture is plagiaristic in many ways as culture itself is sustained through copying and imitation. Prevailing plagiaristic practices can be linked to other facets such as the world of work, increased use of technology, teaching-learning practices in the arts, and popular culture in which copying and imitation are integral parts. This article explores how some of these practices influence student “plagiarism” in academic institutions. It also argues that plagiarism cannot be embedded in a discourse of morality and suggests some simple, pragmatic ways in which these can be overcome in the Indian context.