The examination boards for the PAU (University Entrance Exam) in the Valencian university system will be equipped this year with frequency detectors and other technical devices to locate unauthorized cell phones and electronic devices during exams.
The measure, promoted by the Management Committee for Entrance Exams and Pre-enrollment, is presented as a response to the growing technological sophistication that threatens the integrity of these exams.
The regional secretary for universities, Esther Gómez, presented the new regulations on Thursday at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, accompanied by the general coordinator of the PAU, José Mas, and by the director of the UPV’s Higher Technical School of Telecommunications Engineering, Héctor Esteban.
Gómez justified the update as a necessity to “adapt controls to the current technological reality” and emphasized that the goal is “to ensure a level playing field for all students.”
Which devices are prohibited in the 2026 PAU
The regulations expressly prohibit the possession and use of cell phones, smartwatches, headphones, tablets, computers, and AI-enabled glasses, among other devices.
It is nothing new that these devices are banned in classrooms, but what is new is that there is now active technology to detect them, and a clear protocol for action when one is found.
How the detection protocol works
If a detector picks up a signal, the exam board may ask the student to show the device in question. If the student refuses, they will be escorted to the exam board’s headquarters for further inspection.
If it is ultimately confirmed that a device was in use, the student will lose the right to continue the exam and will receive a score of zero.
In cases where it is not possible to immediately identify the owner of the detected item, the backpack or bag in which it is found will also be taken to the examination center.
The regulations also tighten identity checks at the entrance. Students must arrive thirty minutes early and present an official identification document before entering the exam room.
Those using the miDNi app to identify themselves must do so before entering, as access is not permitted with a connected mobile phone.
Identity theft, if confirmed, results in a score of zero on the entire PAU.