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UNAM admissions scandal: fraud arrests and return to in-p-p

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2026-08-31 04:23 UTC → 2026-09-05 17:22 UTC · added ~~removed~~

UNAM admissions scandal: fraud arrests and ~~control exams~~ return to in-p-p

UNAM’s first fully online admission exam for the 2026–27 cycle attracted approximately 158,700 candidates. Irregularities were detected, including cellphone use, identity substitution, and suspected AI-assisted cheating. The use of an AI-powered remote-proctoring system from Territorium and Respondus’s LockDown browser was linked to statistical anomalies, such as the share of applicants scoring 110 or higher jumping from 0.9% to 5.5%. In response, UNAM terminated its approximately 69-million-peso contract with Territorium and initiated three audits. To restore integrity, UNAM mandated in-person “control exams” using digital tablets in offline mode. Rector Leonardo Lomelí reported that approximately 37,000 students participated nationwide in these extraordinary sessions. During the exams, authorities detected at least 22 instances of attempted fraud, involving methods such as mobile phones in restrooms, camera-equipped glasses, and altered registration documents. Lomelí noted the university had underestimated the scale of a “business” involving companies offering cheating services, leading to complaints filed with the Fiscalía General de la República. Following the control exams, UNAM released the final results, confirming 49,074 new students will begin studies on August 31. This total includes 28,151 via ‘Pase Reglamentado’ and 20,923 through the selection contest, the latter being 1,039 fewer spots than originally anticipated. The in-person exams resulted in significantly lower passing thresholds; for example, the minimum score for Medicine dropped from 117 to 92. In a related legal development, two operators of the ‘Más Preparación’ academy, identified as Edgar “N” and David “N”, were linked to a criminal process for allegedly charging students to complete exams online. While a judge reclassified the crime to one carrying economic sanctions rather than prison, they maintained preventive detention. The academy’s offices remain closed following arrests by the Mexico City Prosecutor's Office. Following the release of the control exam results, UNAM announced it will offer 2,024 undergraduate vacancies across 66 degree programs.

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