AI-proctored UNAM exam scrapped after score surge forces 58,000 students to retake test in person
Local businesses should keep automated tools within a process that includes clear rules, human oversight and checks for people who follow them. UNAM has published final enrollment results after requiring about 58,000 applicants to retake its entrance exam in person following a sharp increase in top scores.
Mexico City prosecutors also say they arrested two men, identified as Edgar “N” and David “N,” for their alleged participation in a scheme that charged applicants to take UNAM’s online entrance exam in their place. The Fiscalía General de Justicia de la Ciudad de México said the investigation found that the pair would have used facilities and computer equipment at an academy during May and June 2026 to simulate applicants answering their own exams.
What happened with the UNAM entrance exam?
Nearly 160,000 applicants took UNAM’s undergraduate entrance exam earlier in the summer, the gateway to Mexico’s largest university. For the first time, UNAM administered the test entirely remotely over several weeks from late May through early June.
Students installed a lockdown browser and AI-powered webcam proctoring software on their computers. The result was an unusual jump in high scores compared with previous years.
- Between 2021 and 2025, 3.5 percent of test takers scored 100 or higher on the 120-question exam.
- In the 2026 administration, 16.3 percent reached 100 or higher.
- Between 2021 and 2025, 0.9 percent scored 110 or higher, compared with 5.5 percent in 2026.
The higher end of the score distribution changed most sharply, prompting accusations of widespread cheating. UNAM appointed an expert panel, formally 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, to review the selection process.
The panel recommended a new “control exam” administered in person with human proctors before the school term. The retake covered more than this year’s successful applicants. It also included anyone who would have qualified under the minimum program scores dating back to 2021, producing an affected group of about 58,000 people.
Admission to UNAM now depended on the control exam results. According to Gaceta UNAM, the university subsequently published its final enrollment results for the cycle.
The results stated: “Para este ciclo escolar, la UNAM recibirá a 49,074 alumnas y alumnos de primer ingreso. De ellos, 28,151 ingresarán a través del Pase Reglamentado y 20,923 mediante el concurso de selección.” The control exam was held over three sessions at the Palacio de los Deportes.
The university rector apologized to applicants who had followed the rules but now faced another test. The rector characterized the retake as “necessary to give certainty and guarantee equity in access.”
How did UNAM respond to the suspected cheating?
The arrest reported by Mexico City prosecutors adds a possible example of one method used to compromise the exam. According to Fiscalía CDMX: “Aprehendimos a Edgar “N” y David “N” por su probable participación en el delito de fraude. De acuerdo con la investigación, habrían cobrado a aspirantes para responder en su lugar el examen de ingreso en línea a la UNAM.”
The prosecution said the investigation relied on information provided by UNAM, analysis of digital files and interviews with academy personnel. It also said four simultaneous searches were conducted on August 25 at properties connected with the investigation, where storage devices were secured for analysis to determine the scheme’s scope.
The broader methods remained uncertain because UNAM’s test used multiple-choice questions rather than written responses. Traditional indicators of AI-assisted cheating, such as a complete answer appearing in a text box immediately, were therefore harder to identify. Cheat sheets, leaked questions and other established methods also remained possible.
A New York Times report said cheating advice was circulating before the tests went live in spring. The suggestions included placing a second monitor outside the webcam’s view to access AI models, concealing earphones under hair and paying another person to take the exam off camera.
What security measures did the remote exam use?
UNAM used several security layers that applicants could target through gaps.
Respondus LockDown Browser
Respondus’s LockDown Browser prevented applicants from printing, copying, visiting other websites, opening other applications, using web searches or instant messaging, and minimizing the exam window. Respondus said the browser also blocked hundreds of other functions during the test.
Territorium webcam monitoring
Territorium’s AI system watched webcam footage for signs of another person replacing the applicant, phone or earphone use, and the applicant leaving the camera frame. A monitor outside the frame or an earpiece concealed from view could defeat this approach.
Human supervision
UNAM assigned one human supervisor for every 150 applicants. Supervisors received alerts generated by the automated system and could report irregularities to university officials. The remote administration canceled nearly 2 percent of exams for unspecified conduct issues.
Despite these measures, UNAM acknowledged “the probability that a significant number of applicants may have received help.” AI researcher Raul Rojas, speaking to NPR, said statistical modeling suggested “that almost half of the students were cheating when taking the exam online.”
What does this mean for local business websites?
A tool can add checks, but the process still requires safeguards, human review, and a fair route for people who have followed the rules.
For a local shop, clinic or trade business, that means keeping the customer journey understandable. Explain what information is required, why it is needed, how it will be checked and who will review unusual cases. If an automated system flags a booking, payment or application, make sure a person can review the flag before the customer is turned away.
This principle applies to a business’s website and Google Business Profile. Keep business listings consistent, explain the purpose of each required field, and identify who reviews unusual cases.
What to do now
- Review each online customer step. Check whether the website clearly explains required details, consent, timing and what happens after submission.
- Give customers a human escalation path. If booking, payment or screening software flags an issue, make sure staff can review it and explain the outcome.
- Check business information for consistency. Confirm that the website and Google Business Profile agree on the business name, address, phone number, hours and services.
- Test customer paths before publishing changes. Confirm that forms, confirmation messages and contact links work as intended rather than relying on automated systems alone.
FAQ
How many students were affected by the UNAM retake?
Almost 58,000 applicants will have to try again in an official exam room, watched by a human proctor, according to Ars Technica. The group included this year’s admits and applicants who would have qualified under minimum program scores since 2021.
Why did UNAM require applicants to retake the entrance exam?
Top scores rose sharply compared with 2021-2025. The share scoring 110 or higher increased from 0.9 percent to 5.5 percent, while the share scoring 100 or higher increased from 3.5 percent to 16.3 percent. An expert panel recommended the in-person control exam.
What proctoring tools did UNAM use for the remote exam?
UNAM used Respondus’s LockDown Browser, Territorium’s AI webcam monitoring and one human supervisor for every 150 applicants. Despite those controls, the university required an in-person retake after the score distribution changed sharply.
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