JAMB
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is a Nigerian entrance examination board for tertiary-level institutions. The board conducts entrance Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination for prospective undergraduates into Nigerian universities.
The board is also charged with the responsibility to administer similar examinations for applicants to Nigerian public and private monotechnics, polytechnics, and colleges of educations.
All of these candidates must have obtained the West Africa Senior School Certificate (WASSCE) conducted yearly by the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, or its equivalent, National Examination Council (Nigeria), Senior School Certificate Examination, NECO SSCE.
The pioneer registrar was Michael Saidu Angulu, who served from inception in 1978 until 1986. The current registrar of JAMB is Prof Ishaq Oloyede, who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2016. Jamb 2023 registration has commenced on 14th of January, 2023 and scheduled to close 14th of February, 2023.
Jamb CBT (Computer Based Test) Centres are the various locations and centres in Nigeria approved by JAMB for the registration of the UTME examination. There are various JAMB CBT centers/locations in the 36 states in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria), FCT.
Every year, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board conducts one of the most credible examinations in Nigeria that determines whether a student will be admitted to a tertiary institution of learning. A record number of more than 1.7 million candidates registered for the 2022 examination.
The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination is only valid for a year with score range 0–400. The examination is a test of knowledge, speed and accuracy. It consists of 180 questions with a time frame of 2 hours (120 minutes). The subject combination vary based on a candidate’s desired course of study, although English language is compulsory for all candidates.
The examination is conducted for international candidates who wish to be admitted into any Nigerian Tertiary institution by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
After the conduct of the year’s examination, the board sits and deliberates on the cut-off mark for universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and monotechnics, often universities have the highest cut-off mark, while other institutions require lower marks.
The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board is yet to officially approve a certified CBT practice platform for candidates. However, with growing concern over the performance of candidates in these Computer Based Tests, considering the fact that Nigeria is a developing country with a sizeable number of school children having little to no access to computers & the internet, a number of independent contributors have provided practice platforms with thousands of past questions to help candidates prepare and boost their performance in the actual test.
Apart from the UTME, JAMB also conducts Direct Entry (DE) examinations for candidates who have completed a diploma or obtained a degree from a recognized institution and wish to further their studies. The DE examination also covers relevant subjects to the candidate’s proposed course of study.
Over the years, JAMB has faced several challenges, including exam malpractice, inadequate infrastructure, and technical glitches during the examination. However, the organization has taken steps to address these challenges, such as the introduction of biometric verification and the use of CCTV cameras to monitor examination centers.
JAMB has also implemented policies such as the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS), which is an online platform that facilitates the admission process into tertiary institutions. CAPS allows institutions to communicate directly with JAMB regarding the admission of candidates, ensuring a transparent and fair admission process.
Additionally, JAMB plays a crucial role in ensuring that only qualified candidates are admitted into Nigerian tertiary institutions. While there may be room for improvement in some areas, the organization has made significant progress in addressing its challenges and promoting a fair and transparent admission process.