The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is urging UTME candidates and their parents to better understand operational procedures at Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, as it defends its 90-minute early arrival requirement for examinations.
In a statement seen by Technology Times on Friday, JAMB says that arriving well ahead of scheduled exam time is essential for preliminary verification processes, which are critical for maintaining the integrity of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
“Anyone who finds no fault in airlines requesting air-travellers to arrive at the airport two hours before the departure time should find no fault in encouraging candidates to arrive at the CBT centres, 90 minutes before commencement of examination for preliminary verification,” JAMB says.
“Anyone who finds no fault in airlines requesting air-travellers to arrive at the airport two hours before the departure time should find no fault in encouraging candidates to arrive at the CBT centres, 90 minutes before commencement of examination for preliminary verification,” JAMB says.
The Board is highlighting that many parents remain unaware of the logistics involved beyond the actual test session, noting that “many parents who expect candidates to spend not more than two hours for the two hours examination are apparently oblivious of the required preliminary processes.”
According to the examination body, early arrival is crucial to orderly verification of candidates’ identities, a measure designed to prevent impersonation and examination malpractice.
JAMB: Setting the record straight on examination centres
Addressing growing misinformation around examination centre allocations, JAMB is dismissing as “erroneous” and “malicious” the claims that candidates are posted to towns different from those selected during registration.
“Let it be unequivocally clear: at the time of registration, candidates have the right to select their preferred examination town. JAMB subsequently assigns them to a centre within that chosen town,” the Board says. “The baseless assertion that candidates are placed in towns different from their selections is erroneous, malicious and aimed solely at tarnishing the Board’s reputation. It never happens.”
To challenge false claims and reinforce public trust, JAMB is announcing a reward for anyone who can provide credible proof of candidates being assigned outside their selected towns.
“For transparency and not ‘being a judge in one’s case,’ such proof should within the next 96 hours be sent to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) WhatsApp Number; 08056003030 so that the umpire can ensure the reward is delivered or the Board is once and for all exonerated from the recurring campaign of calumny,” the Board says.
JAMB is reaffirming its commitment to ensuring convenience for candidates, emphasising that “every candidate has the prerogative to choose their examination town, while JAMB only assigns the candidate within the chosen town.”
Building trust, debunking superstitions
Calling for greater public trust in government institutions, the Board says: “The public is encouraged to grant public agencies the benefit of the doubt and trust that they exist to serve public interest in the best possible manner. JAMB as a government agency is committed to public good at all times. A trial will convince any.”
Adding a lighter note, JAMB recounts a curious incident where a female candidate, acting on her grandfather’s advice, sat through her UTME without answering a single question, hoping for divine intervention.
“Of course, such miracles do not happen with JAMB,” the Board says, warning candidates against relying on superstition or expecting rewards without effort.
As preparations heighten for the nationwide examinations, the exams body is positioning itself as an agency upholding fairness, transparency, and the public interest at every stage of the UTME process.
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