● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 negative
UNAM requires 58,000 students to retake AI-proctored remote entrance exam due to cheating concerns
Key points
- UNAM's remote entrance exam saw a significant increase in high scores.
- A commission recommended a mandatory in-person retake for 58,000 applicants.
- The original exam used a lockdown browser and AI-powered webcam proctoring.
- The university rector apologized to honest applicants for the inconvenience.
Remote Exam Results Raise Cheating Concerns
UNAM, Mexico's largest university, administered its entrance exam remotely for the first time to nearly 160,000 applicants. The exam, conducted from late May through early June, utilized a lockdown browser and AI-powered webcam proctoring software. Following the exam, results showed a substantial increase in high scores compared to previous years; 16.3% of test takers scored 100 or more out of 120 questions, up from 3.5% between 2021 and 2025. Scores of 110 or more rose to 5.5% from 0.9% in prior years.
Commission Recommends In-Person Retake
The surge in top scores prompted accusations of widespread cheating, leading UNAM to appoint a commission of experts to investigate. The commission, officially named “la Comisión Técnica de Personas Expertas para la Revisión del Proceso de Selección de Ingreso a Licenciatura para el Ciclo Escolar 2026-2027/1,” concluded that a "control exam" administered in person is necessary. This decision aims to address concerns about the integrity of the initial remote testing process.
Impact on Applicants and University Schedule
The control exam will affect approximately 58,000 applicants, including those who secured a spot based on this year's test and those who would have been admitted based on minimum scores since 2021. Places at UNAM will now depend on the results of this new in-person test. The university rector apologized to honest applicants who must now prepare for and retake the exam, stating the control exam is "necessary to give certainty and guarantee equity in access." Details on the control exam are expected soon, with classes scheduled to begin on August 10.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
Mexico's largest university, UNAM, is requiring approximately 58,000 applicants to retake their entrance exam in person after a remote, AI-proctored version led to an unprecedented surge in high scores, suggesting widespread cheating. A commission recommended the control exam to ensure fairness and certainty in the admissions process. This incident highlights the challenges and potential vulnerabilities of AI-supervised remote testing.