President Claudia Sheinbaum said the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) will decide how to handle irregularities in its admission exam.
The decision is critical because it affects the academic future of thousands of students seeking entry into one of the region's most prestigious institutions. The university must now determine if the current results remain valid or if the process requires a complete restart.
Speaking Friday in Mexico City, Sheinbaum said the government respects the autonomy of the institution. She said UNAM possesses the necessary faculties to resolve the controversy generated by the detected irregularities. The university is tasked with deciding if the exam will be validated, if it must be repeated, or what specific measures will be taken for the affected applicants.
These irregularities have already had a significant impact on the 2026 admission cycle [2]. More than 1,000 applicants were blocked following the second day of the examination period [1].
While the university manages the academic fallout, the president noted that legal authorities may become involved. Sheinbaum said that if a crime is proven to have occurred, it will be the responsibility of the Attorney General's Office to act according to the law.
"The UNAM has the autonomy and the necessary powers to resolve the controversy generated by the irregularities detected in its admission exam," Sheinbaum said.
She further emphasized the boundary between government oversight and institutional independence, saying, "The government fully respects the autonomy of the UNAM."
“The government fully respects the autonomy of the UNAM.”
By deferring to UNAM's autonomy, the Mexican presidency avoids direct interference in a volatile academic crisis while simultaneously signaling that fraud will be treated as a criminal matter. This approach places the burden of administrative resolution on the university but ensures that the state's legal apparatus remains a deterrent against future systemic cheating in public education.
