Gadgets including smart glasses and invisible earpieces could undermine the legitimacy of the exam system by making it easier for students to cheat, the chief of Ofqual has warned.
Chief regulator Sir Ian Bauckham, who leads the body that regulates Britain’s qualifications and examinations, said that Ofqual had to “move really fast, because technology is moving fast”.
The regulator’s own data showed that mobile phone and smart device offences accounted for 2,225 malpractice cases in the summer 2025 exam series, or 44.3% of all cases. It has been the most common category of cheating in every summer exam series since 2018.
Devices such as Monorean Pro explicitly advertise their ability to “cheat on a test without getting caught”, incorporating miniature Bluetooth earpieces and device controls that are designed to be concealed under clothing.
Students can also use smart glasses such as Rokid AI Glasses and Ray-Ban Meta to use AI assistance in an exam setting. These glasses have discreet, built...