Earlier this summer, nearly 160,000 candidates took the entrance exam for UNAM, Mexico's largest university, entirely remotely. The Lockdown Browser and AI-powered video proctoring software were supposed to ensure fair exams. Instead, it was a disaster.
The surge in top scores raised suspicions of widespread cheating. Between 2021 and 2025, only 3.5% scored 100 or more on the 120-question UNAM test. This year, that number jumped to 16.3%. At even higher marks, it went from 0.9% in previous years to an astounding 5.5%.
Under pressure, UNAM appointed a commission of experts to investigate, dubiously named the Comisión Técnica de Personas Expertas. The commission’s conclusion? A 'control exam' is necessary. About 58,000 students now face another round of testing, with results dictating their place at UNAM.
The university rector has apologised to those who have done nothing wrong but must retake the test. ‘Necessary to give certainty and guarantee equity in access,’ he added, as classes are set to start on 10 August.
