An AI-supervised remote exam went so badly that 58,000 students must retake it
Earlier this summer, nearly 160,000 applicants took the entrance exam for UNAM, Mexico’s largest university.
Earlier this summer, nearly 160,000 applicants took the entrance exam for UNAM, Mexico’s largest university.
The short version
- For the first time, they did it completely remotely, using a “lockdown” browser and AI-powered webcam proctoring software, over several weeks from late May through early June.
- When exam results came in, they bore little resemblance to past results, especially at the top.
- Between 2021 and 2025, 3.5 percent of test takers scored 100 or more on the 120-question UNAM test.
What happened
The story was even worse at the highest of the high end. Between 2021 and 2025, 0.9 percent of test takers scored 110 or more; this year, 5.5 percent did so.
Why it matters
The surge in top scores led to accusations of widespread cheating, and UNAM appointed a commission of experts to investigate the situation.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.