A pair of AI glasses is on display at the 2026 China International Financial Exhibition at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center on June 17, 2026 Photo: VCG

South China Agricultural University in South China’s Guangdong Province has disciplined several students for allegedly using smart glasses and other electronic devices to cheat in final exams, a case that has sparked fresh concerns over the use of wearable technology in exam rooms, chinanews.com reported on Monday.

The Undergraduate School of South China Agricultural University recently announced in a notice that it had disciplined several students for bringing smart glasses and other electronic devices into exam rooms. It added that all cases were handled under the university’s examination misconduct rules, chinanews.com reported. 

The notice emphasizes that students are banned from bringing any electronic devices with communication, storage, camera, data transmission, sending/receiving, or scanning functions into exam rooms, including phones, smart glasses, smart watches, fitness bands, Bluetooth or invisible earphones, and other wearable devices. Students must also undergo checks and self-inspection before entering the exam venue.

Several students said exam invigilation has been tightened from late June to mid-July, with stricter checks on smart devices and glasses. Black-framed glasses, in particular, are reportedly subject to more thorough checks, Hongxing News reported.

During the 2026 national college entrance examinations, examination authorities across multiple provinces had tightened security checks at exam sites, chinanews.com reported.

Global Times