The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) reported that approximately 43,000 applicants have secured appointments for a mandatory control exam [1].
This administrative bottleneck threatens the academic future of thousands of students seeking entry into one of Mexico's most prestigious institutions. The situation has created significant uncertainty for those unable to access the registration system.
University officials summoned a total of 58,783 applicants to undergo this secondary testing process [2]. While a majority have been scheduled, roughly 15,000 applicants continue to lack registration for the in-person control exam [2]. These students are currently unable to schedule their appointments through the official channels.
The implementation of this second exam follows the detection of irregularities in the initial testing phase. UNAM officials said they identified the possible use of artificial intelligence by some candidates to cheat on the original assessments.
To ensure the integrity of the admissions process, the university mandated the control exam to verify the authenticity of the previous results. However, the sudden requirement for tens of thousands of students to schedule in-person dates has strained the university's registration infrastructure.
Students who remain unregistered face the risk of being excluded from the admissions cycle. The university has not yet provided a specific timeline for when the remaining 15,000 applicants will be able to secure their slots [2].
“Approximately 15,000 applicants continue to lack registration for the in-person control exam.”
The crisis at UNAM highlights the growing tension between traditional academic gatekeeping and the proliferation of generative AI. By introducing a secondary verification layer to combat AI-assisted cheating, the university has inadvertently created a systemic failure in its own administrative capacity, shifting the problem from academic dishonesty to institutional accessibility.
