THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said that it has concluded arrangements for the conduct of the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), scheduled to commence nationwide on Saturday 13th May, and to 20th May.
A total of 1,736,571 candidates have registered to sit for the examination to be held simultaneously in 624 Computer Based Centres across the country.
Registrar and Chief Executive of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja, while briefing newsmen on the preparation for the conduct of the exercise, saying every arrangement has been made for hitch-free conduct of the examination.
He warned candidates and officials involved in the conduct of the examination against involvement in any form of examination malpractices, saying anyone tempted to compromise the well organised arrangement would be made to face the full weight of the law.
As part of efforts to curb examination malpractice and other forms offences, the JAMB Registrar disclosed that the board would use the biometric verification machine to verify candidates before admitting them for the examination. He added that candidates are also expected to thumb-print after examination.
According to him, each examination centre would be manned by a supervisor, a technical officer, a verification officer, three proctors as well as security agents. He also disclosed that each state would be superintended over by a head of a tertiary institution-Vice Chancellor, Rector or Provost.
Oloyede also banned candidates from using handsets and other communication gadgets in and around the examination venues, warning that anyone found with such gadgets would be deemed to have been engaged in examination malpractice as outlined in the provisions of the Examination Malpractice Decree No. 33 of 1999.
He particularly said that the board deploy the services of security agencies such as the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Police, State Security Service (SSS), and special security forces to volatile areas, to monitor and maintain close surveillance during the examination for a peaceful and successful conduct.
He said: “With the successful conduct of the UTME mock examination through the deployment of many of these personnel and upgraded technology, JAMB is more than reay to ensure that the whole exercise is a success.
He noted that the figure for the 2017 UTME has shown an increase of 464,287 applicants when compared with last year’s figure of 1,272,284 that registered for the UTME.
He revealed that a total of 321 virtually impaired candidates registered for the 2017 UTME and that adequate arrangements have been provided to ensure that they partake in the examination.
He said candidates were expected to have commenced printing of their e-registration slips from Sunday 7th May, 2017, noting that the slips have been sent to candidates’ E-mail addresses.
He said candidates could also print their slips at accredited CBT Centres with their registration numbers for not more than N100 only or visit the JAMB website and key in their registration number to print.
He warned that there would be no rescheduling of examination and any candidate who fails to turn up for his or her examination on the date assigned has missed the examination.
Oloyede also announced the decentralisation of the cut-off marks to allow each institution use cut-off marks that applicable to their peculiarities.
He disclosed that Imo State recorded the highest number of applicants for the UTME with 101,868 candiades, followed by Osun which recorded 88,653 candidates. Oyo came third with 87,811 candidates.
