Integrity Policy
Upholding Fairness, Trust, and Authenticity in AM Examinations
Our Integrity Principles
The value of every AM achievement — every certificate, every medal, every recognition — rests on a single foundation: the integrity of our examination process.
The Academic Marathon brings together talented students from around the world to participate. When a student earns a distinction in AM, that achievement must reflect genuine knowledge, authentic effort, and honest conduct. Anything less diminishes not only the individual but every participant who took part honorably.
We believe that academic integrity is not merely a set of rules to enforce, but a shared commitment between AM, our participants, their educators, and their families. This policy exists to protect the students who play by the rules — to ensure that an AM achievement always means what it should: excellence earned through genuine ability.
Prevention
We invest in clear communication, accessible preparation resources, and a transparent examination process so that every participant understands what is expected before they begin.
Detection
Our dedicated remote examination system monitors every test through webcam, microphone, screen activity, network stability, and operation logs — observing in real time.
Enforcement
We apply penalties consistently and fairly. Violations result in immediate point deductions. Suspected dishonesty undergoes rigorous multi-evidence human review.
The Integrity Commitment
Integrity at AM begins before the examination. By registering, every candidate enters into a binding commitment that defines what honest participation means.
🔖 Adherence to the Integrity Terms and Terms & Conditions
Every candidate agrees to abide by the Integrity Terms accepted at registration and the Terms & Conditions governing all payments related to AM programs — including examination fees, and subscriptions to or purchases of official materials on LearningFirst and other platforms.
⚠ What Constitutes Dishonest Conduct
Dishonest conduct is any action that undermines the fairness and authenticity of AM examinations, including but not limited to:
- Exam cheating — detailed in Section 4C;
- Payment fraud — detailed in Section 4D;
- Any other violation of the Integrity Terms agreed upon at registration.
By participating in AM, every candidate enters into a binding commitment of trust — one that extends beyond academic integrity to honesty, adherence to the terms, rules, and contracts of the program, and no fraud in every aspect of their participation.
What We Expect From Every Candidate
Participation in AM is a privilege that carries responsibility. Every candidate is expected to uphold the following standards throughout the examination process. These are not merely rules — they are the norms that define what it means to behave with integrity in AM.
Independent Completion
All examination work must be completed independently and individually. No candidate may receive assistance — direct or indirect — from any person during the examination.
Authentic Identity
The individual taking the examination must be the registered candidate. Valid identification must be presented during the identity verification process.
Compliant Exam Environment
Candidates must maintain a private, quiet room with a stable internet connection and a functioning webcam throughout the examination. The candidate's face must remain visible on camera at all times.
Adherence to Examination Norms
Candidates must follow all examination instructions, complete required pre-examination procedures (including the mock test), and submit their work before the timer expires.
No Unauthorized Resources
Candidates may not use any electronic or paper-based reference materials, communication tools, AI assistants, or technical aids unless explicitly permitted by the examination instructions.
Respect for Examination Materials
Candidates may not share, photograph, leak, or disseminate examination questions or content at any time, before, during, or after the examination.
How We Monitor Examinations
AM conducts all examinations through a dedicated remote examination system designed specifically for secure, proctored online testing. The system provides comprehensive automated monitoring across multiple channels — capturing a complete picture of each candidate's examination environment and behavior.
Multi-Channel Monitoring
Webcam
Continuous video to verify identity and detect the presence of other people or devices.
Microphone
Audio monitoring to detect speech or sounds indicating communication or assistance.
Screen Activity
Real-time screen capture to detect unauthorized applications or abnormal on-screen behavior.
Network
Continuous monitoring of connection stability and detection of disconnections.
Operation Logs
Detailed recording of all system interactions, including input patterns and application switching.
How Violations and Anomalies Are Handled
AM's enforcement operates in two stages: real-time automated processing during the examination, and a rigorous post-examination review. Each stage serves a distinct purpose in safeguarding examination integrity.
Stage 1: Real-Time Processing
During the examination, the system continuously monitors the candidate's environment through webcam, microphone, and network connectivity. When an environment violation is detected — such as speaking, leaving the camera frame, or a network disconnection — the system automatically applies the corresponding point penalty to the student's total score in real time. These penalties are irreversible.
Stage 2: Post-Examination Review
After the examination concludes, all proctoring data undergoes a structured two-step review process.
Big Data Analysis
The system conducts a 360-degree analysis across all monitoring channels — webcam, microphone, screen, network, and operation logs. It cross-references proctoring data, applies statistical analysis to response patterns and timing, and flags anomalies that may indicate dishonest behavior.
Cases requiring further investigation are escalated to human review.
Multi-Evidence Human Review
Trained reviewers conduct rigorous multi-evidence examination of each flagged case, examining webcam footage, screen recordings, operation logs, and other available data to verify whether academic dishonesty has occurred.
No cheating determination is made by automation alone — every determination requires human confirmation based on corroborating evidence.
Penalties & Consequences
The following section details the specific penalties for environment violations and process non-compliance, the behaviors that constitute cheating, and the distinction between score invalidation and score cancellation.
4A. Exam Environment Violations
The exam environment is monitored automatically by the system. The following violations are detected and penalized in real time. Maintaining a compliant environment is the sole responsibility of the student.
No Speaking
The student must not speak during the examination. Speaking may indicate communication with another person or an AI assistant.
Face Visible on Camera at All Times
The student's face must remain visible on the webcam throughout the entire examination. Leaving the camera frame is not permitted.
Stable Internet Connection
A stable internet connection must be maintained throughout the examination. Network disconnections disrupt proctoring and are penalized.
All point deductions are applied directly to the student's total score and are irreversible. If accumulated environment penalties reach 20 points or more, the exam environment is deemed non-compliant and the examination score will be marked as invalid.
4B. Process Compliance Violations
Candidates must complete the following procedural requirements. Non-compliance will result in point deductions applied directly to the final score.
Complete the Mock Test
Candidates must complete the designated mock test prior to the official examination to ensure technical readiness and platform familiarity.
Manually Submit Before Timer Expires
Candidates must manually submit their examination before the countdown timer reaches zero.
4C. Academic Dishonesty
Academic integrity is the inviolable bottom line of AM. The following actions constitute cheating and will be determined on the basis of a single piece of evidence:
- Use of a second electronic device — including but not limited to mobile phones, tablets, or additional computers — for any purpose during the examination.
- Use of any electronic or paper-based notes, reference materials, or external resources, unless explicitly permitted by the examination instructions.
- The individual taking the examination is not the registered candidate, or the candidate fails to provide valid identification during identity verification.
- Presence of any person other than the candidate in the examination room at any time during the examination.
- Use of chat applications, AI tools, screen sharing, remote control software, browser extensions, system plugins, or any other technical assistance to answer examination questions.
- Exploiting time zone differences to gain an unfair advantage, or assisting others in doing so.
- Deliberately leaking or disseminating examination questions, content, or materials.
⚠ Consequences of Cheating
Any confirmed instance of cheating will result in immediate cancellation of the examination score. Depending on the seriousness of the case, AM reserves the right to publish the names of individuals found to have cheated and to notify their respective schools or educational institutions.
4D. Payment Fraud and Abuse of Payment Terms
AM's Terms & Conditions are explicitly communicated to every candidate at the time of registration and payment. By completing registration and submitting payment, the candidate acknowledges and agrees to these terms. These terms govern any payment made in connection with AM programs and official materials — including examination fees, LearningFirst subscriptions, and other official resources — whether the payment is made directly to AM or on a third-party platform.
The following actions constitute a severe breach of good faith and a deliberate exploitation of payment systems:
- Abusing banking or payment platform dispute mechanisms to obtain unauthorized refunds after the examination has been completed and results have been issued.
- Filing fraudulent chargebacks or payment disputes under normal payment conditions where services have been fully or partially rendered and received.
- Any deliberate exploitation of payment terms to obtain examination services without valid payment, including submitting bad-faith claims to banks, credit card companies, or payment platforms.
⚠ Consequences of Payment Fraud
Candidates found to have engaged in payment fraud will face the following consequences:
- IMMEDIATE CANCELLATION of all examination scores
- Permanent ban from all AM and EAE programs and LearningFirst
Depending on the seriousness of the case and the fraud loss incurred, AM reserves the option of:
- Notification to the candidate's school and teacher(s)
- Public listing of the candidate's name on the official website (public search indexable)
AM treats payment fraud not merely as a billing dispute, but as an act of fundamental dishonesty that calls into question the candidate's integrity in its entirety. Such conduct will be met with the full force of the sanctions described above, as appropriate to the severity of the case.
Violation vs. Cheating
Understanding the distinction between procedural violations and academic dishonesty
⚠ Violation
Detection: Automatically detected by the proctoring system in real time.
Consequence: Point deductions applied directly to the total score.
Appeals: Penalties are irreversible and cannot be appealed.
Threshold: Accumulated penalties of 20+ points result in score invalidation.
✕ Cheating
Detection: Determined through human review of proctoring evidence.
Consequence: Immediate cancellation of the examination score.
Disclosure: AM reserves the right to publish offender names and notify schools.
Score Invalidation vs. Score Cancellation
Two distinct outcomes with different implications for the candidate
⚠ Score Invalidation
Trigger: Environment violation penalties reach 20 points or more.
Reason: The exam environment is deemed non-compliant, significantly compromising exam integrity.
Score Report: The candidate still receives a score report showing their examination score and penalty details.
Marking: The score will be marked as "Invalid" due to low credibility.
✕ Score Cancellation
Trigger: Confirmed academic dishonesty through big data analysis and human review, or payment fraud as defined in Section 4D.
Reason: A fundamental breach of examination integrity has occurred.
Score Report: The examination score is directly cancelled.
Marking: No score reflecting examination performance is issued.