Hello,
What could be the karmic consequences of not paying attention in class and cheating on an exam?
Some possible consequences are lack of wisdom, loss of respect and reputation, bad habit formation for future lives, loss of trust (people won’t believe that you deserve the success you have)
This ‘wisdom’ thing you you’re writing about is truly misplaced. Book knowledge is often referred to as wisdom but in the buddhist context it’s not the true wisdom that only results from the abandonment of ignorance in relation to the world as it can be known by means of the sense organs. Wisdom in relation to The Dhamma is not dependent on paying attention in class or cheating on exams. It is dependent on paying attention to what arises and passes in the present moment, moment to moment and letting go of past experiences and the expectations of future experiences. In other words being aware of continual change ie anicca. That results in panna. Book knowledge does not. It may be inspirational but that’s all. If it is inspirational it depends on past actions and not mind chatter. Obviously cheating doesn’t help but it doesn’t cause ignorance.
I would call it a form of “stealing recognition” by lying similar but surely less severe to pārājika 4 (False claims of superhuman states - jhāna, abhiññā, or Nibbāna) or claiming to be a monk without ordination.
I highly recommend one not do this on any level, including merely cheating on a test (merely… when compared to above severe examples)