Mexico’s top university orders 58,000 students to resit entrance exam after suspected cheating
National Autonomous University of Mexico says applicants must take test in person after online debacle Mexico’s largest and most prestigious university has announced that about 58,000 students will have to resit their entrance exam after abnormally high test results raised suspicions of widespread cheating. The National Autonomous University of Mexico (Unam) said the exam would take place in…
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (Unam) has ordered approximately 58,000 students to retake their entrance exam following a suspected cheating scandal. The online version of the exam, first administered this summer, yielded abnormally high scores that raised concerns about widespread fraudulent activity. The university's rector, Leonardo Lomelí, acknowledged the mistake and assured that the institution would take responsibility by requiring students to retake the test in person.
The online examination, which included AI-powered monitoring, was intended to prevent cheating but ultimately failed to detect significant instances of fraud. Between 2021 and 2025, only 3.5% of applicants achieved a perfect score, but this year that number soared to 16%. In response, the country's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, hinted that the attorney general may investigate the matter.
Nearly 160,000 students initially took the entrance exam, competing for 21,962 spots in various undergraduate programs. The cheating scandal led to the annulment of 2% of the tests (3,174 exams) due to irregularities such as identity impersonation and external assistance. The university has filed a criminal complaint and appointed a committee to determine the fate of the affected 158,712 students, marking an unprecedented decision in the university's 115-year history.
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