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UNAM sees 'substantial changes' in online vs. in-person exam results; detects cell phone use and identity theft
🇲🇽 Mexico /Culture & Society

UNAM sees 'substantial changes' in online vs. in-person exam results; detects cell phone use and identity theft

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • UNAM detected significant score increases in its online entrance exam compared to previous in-person tests.
  • The university cited substantial shifts in median and higher percentiles, with 16.3% scoring 100 or more in 2026 versus 3.5% in prior years.
  • Concerns over cheating, including cell phone use and identity theft, led to the cancellation of about 2% of the exams and the implementation of a new in-person control exam.

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) has identified "substantial changes" in the results of its online entrance examination when compared to previous years when the test was administered in person. The university announced a new in-person control exam for selected candidates and those who narrowly missed the historical minimum scores.

Eduardo Bárzana García, president of the Technical Committee formed to review the online test, explained that analysis of results from 2021-2025 showed a relatively small shift in percentiles. However, the median and higher percentiles saw considerably larger increases in 2026. While approximately 3.5% of applicants scored 100 or more points between 2021 and 2025, this figure rose to 16.3% in 2026. The proportion of those scoring 110 or more points increased sixfold, from 0.9% to 5.5%.

The percentiles shifted relatively little, while the median and higher percentiles registered considerably greater increases.

— Eduardo Bárzana GarcíaExplaining the differences in exam results between online and in-person administrations.

Bárzana García stated that the transition to an online exam, coupled with the use of artificial intelligence (AI), presented both advantages and risks. The magnitude of observed changes and documented incidents necessitated a comprehensive technical review. The expert group detailed that the online format used AI and human supervision, which detected prohibited activities such as cell phone use, unauthorized assistance, external help for answering questions, and suspected identity theft.

These irregularities led to the cancellation of approximately 2% of the exams taken by 158,727 applicants. Some candidates had already undergone verification, resulting in lower scores than initially recorded. UNAM will now implement a new in-person control exam to ensure the integrity of the admissions process.

The change in modality to the online exam and the use of AI entails advantages and risks, however, the magnitude of the documented incidents and the observed changes in the results made a comprehensive technical review necessary.

— Eduardo Bárzana GarcíaJustifying the need for a review of the online exam process.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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