The National Autonomous University of Mexico, the country’s most prestigious institution, announced that approximately 58,000 students must resit their entrance examination following concerns about fraudulent activity during the initial remote administration.
Nearly 160,000 students participated in the entrance exam earlier this summer. The at-home test utilized AI-powered monitoring technology including voice and facial recognition to prevent cheating. However, the resulting scores raised significant red flags. Between 2021 and 2025, only 3.5% of applicants scored 100 or higher out of a possible 120 points. This year, that figure jumped to 16%. Students achieving scores of 110 or above increased sixfold, from 0.9% to 5.5%. In the highly competitive medicine program, nearly 30% of candidates scored 100 or above, compared with 9% the previous year.
The discrepancies sparked a national controversy, prompting the country’s president to indicate that the attorney general may need to conduct an investigation. Before publicly releasing results, the university had already annulled 2% of tests—3,174 examinations—after identifying irregularities including identity fraud and external assistance. Technical analysis suggested nearly half of all exams could have involved some form of cheating. Test questions were reportedly leaked and sold online during the May and June testing window, with cheating strategies also circulated beforehand.
The university’s rector acknowledged the situation and apologized to fairly qualified candidates who must retake the exam. The institution emphasized that ensuring fairness and equal access remained paramount. The decision to conduct the entrance exam remotely for the first time this year was intended to provide greater equity, allowing students from across the country to participate without traveling to Mexico City. The new in-person exam will proceed as scheduled, with the academic year for new students now beginning on 31 August rather than the originally planned date of 10 August. The university has filed a criminal complaint and authorities are investigating individuals or companies allegedly providing fraudulent services to applicants.
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