The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a warning to candidates preparing to sit for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) regarding the practice of selecting examination towns in an overly desperate manner.
The spokesperson for the board, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, communicated this message in a statement released to the press in Abuja on Sunday. He stated that the board does not assign examination towns for candidates participating in either the main examination or the optional mock examination.
This clarification is particularly pertinent, as 90 percent of the available spaces for the optional mock examination across the country have already been filled, leaving only a limited number of states with remaining slots.
Dr. Benjamin noted that there has been an observed tendency among candidates to exhibit unusual preferences in their selection of examination towns, likely in an attempt to partake in the optional mock examination. This advisory aims to discourage candidates from hastily selecting towns, only to subsequently blame the board for assigning them to locations that are situated far from their residences, towns, or states of origin.
The states that currently have available slots for the optional mock examination include Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe. Candidates who wish to take the mock examination in these regions are encouraged to select their examination towns accordingly.
Dr. Benjamin emphasized that while candidates possess the right to choose their preferred examination towns, they must take into account the implications of their selections. He indicated that some candidates might opt for towns that are considerably distant, potentially located outside of their home state, and stressed that the board should not be held liable for such decisions.
The allocation of mock examination spaces is determined by the availability of examination centers, and once a town's capacity has been reached, it will no longer be available for selection. The board seeks to avoid unnecessary strain, as the mock examination is intended solely to provide deserving candidates with an opportunity to experience the Computer-Based Test (CBT) environment and to assess the board's facilities.
Candidates are advised to make informed choices when selecting their examination towns, considering travel logistics and convenience to ensure a seamless experience on the day of the examination.