Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2023 Concerning Combating Cheating and Violation of Examination System

Purpose and legislative background

The law protects examination credibility and equal opportunity by combining institutional prevention, officer responsibilities, student discipline, third-party criminal liability, reporting and judicial-enforcement tools.

No replacement of the principal decree-law was identified in the 31 August 2026 official-source research. Existing examination rules continue only insofar as they do not conflict until replacement resolutions are issued.

Scope and who it applies to

• Students in covered general and higher-education institutions.
• Public and private schools, universities, colleges, institutes and continuing-education centres within the statutory definition.
• Ministry of Education and federal/local educational authorities.
• Examination officers, committees and centres.
• Third persons who engage in the criminalised facilitation/cheating conduct specified by Article 6.

Key definitions

• Educational Institution includes governmental/private institutions in general or higher education, including schools, universities, colleges, institutes and continuing-education centres.
• Student includes enrolled learners and persons sitting assessment/placement examinations before higher-education institutions.
• Examination is an assessment tool developed/administered by the Ministry, educational authorities or institutions.
• Examination Officer covers persons assigned responsibilities in the examination system under the statutory framework.

Main rights and obligations

• Students must comply with examination conduct rules and are subject to institutional discipline for violations.
• Examination officers must protect confidentiality and must not facilitate or assist cheating.
• Educational institutions/authorities must implement anti-cheating awareness and monitoring mechanisms.
• Educational/administrative staff must report known violations under Article 10.
• Authorities must refer conduct that appears criminal to competent judicial authorities.

Procedures and compliance

1. Publish examination rules and security instructions before the exam.
2. Apply identity/access, confidentiality and monitoring controls for in-person and remote exams.
3. Document detected violations and preserve relevant evidence.
4. Apply student/officer disciplinary procedures where appropriate.
5. Refer suspected Article 6 criminal conduct or other criminal conduct to competent judicial authorities.
6. Use the required reporting channel under Article 10.

Deadlines and time limits

• Issued date: 25 September 2023.
• Article 13: effective on the day following Official Gazette publication; exact Gazette publication/effective date left blank because it was not sufficiently verified in this research pass.
• Institutional disciplinary/reporting deadlines may be set by Ministry, educational-authority or institution regulations.

Enforcement, violations and penalties

Article 6 provides a criminal fine of up to AED 200,000 for specified acts committed by a person other than a student. Article 8 governs student and examination-officer disciplinary procedures, and Article 9 supports judicial enforcement. Other offences may also trigger other criminal laws.

Legislation / implementation / commentary distinction: The principal decree-law or federal law creates the statutory rule. Executive regulations, Cabinet resolutions, ministry/regulator decisions and court rules may supply operational detail. The examples and checklists in this explanation are practical commentary and do not create additional legal duties.

Practical scenarios

1. A student using unauthorised assistance is dealt with under the applicable educational disciplinary rules in addition to any other law that may apply.
2. An external person selling exam answers may fall within Article 6 if the statutory act is proved; the student penalty framework is not automatically identical.
3. An examination officer who assists a student can face disciplinary consequences and potentially other legal consequences depending on conduct.
4. A university running remote exams must apply approved regulations and the decree-law's integrity framework.

Amendments and related legislation

No replacement of the principal decree-law was identified in the 31 August 2026 official-source research. Existing examination rules continue only insofar as they do not conflict until replacement resolutions are issued.

What businesses and individuals should check

• The criminal penalty in Article 6 is aimed at conduct by a person other than a student; student cheating is principally dealt with through disciplinary rules in Article 8.
• Remote examinations are expressly within scope when conducted under approved regulations.
• Institutions should maintain clear exam-security, access-control and reporting procedures.
• Digital cheating tools may also engage cybercrime or other criminal legislation depending on the conduct.
• Do not state that every exam-rule breach carries an AED 200,000 fine; Article 6 applies only to the acts and persons specified by that article.
• Confirm the current version/status of the principal legislation on the date relevant to the issue.
• Check all implementing instruments listed in the manifest and any later official updates.
• Preserve the official source citation used for a compliance, transaction or litigation decision.
• Do not rely on the cover artwork as proof of government endorsement or official publication.

When legal advice may be useful

Professional interpretation may be useful where the applicable law changed between the underlying event and the current date, a transitional rule is important, jurisdiction or regulatory perimeter is disputed, an enforcement or penalty provision may apply, or the matter involves significant rights, assets or procedural deadlines.

Information status

Research checked on 2026-08-31. This explanation is general legal information and should be re-verified against the official UAE source before use in a specific transaction, proceeding or compliance decision.