KEY POINTS

• JAMB mandates a retake for 379,997 candidates due to technical glitches and irregularities in the 2025 UTME.

• 132 CBT centers sanctioned for data mismatches; six centers suspended for conducting blank registrations.

• JAMB assures rescheduling for affected candidates and warns underage applicants of strict penalties.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has publicly acknowledged significant errors that affected the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), prompting the board to mandate a retake for 379,997 candidates.

During a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede addressed the media, visibly emotional as he discussed the technical glitches and irregularities that marred the examination process across several centers. “We deeply regret the shortcomings in this year’s UTME and the impact it has had on our candidates,” he stated.

JAMB: Technical glitches and irregularities prompt nationwide retake

The decision for a retake follows widespread complaints from students, parents, and educational stakeholders about unusually low scores and inconsistencies in exam questions and answers.

Investigations revealed that technical issues, including system failures and data mismatches, compromised the integrity of the examination in multiple centers.

JAMB has identified and sanctioned 132 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers for various infractions, including data mismatches during registration. “Even minimal discrepancies compromise the integrity of our examination processes,” the board emphasized in its weekly bulletin.

Furthermore, JAMB has taken steps to address fraudulent activities. Six CBT centers were suspended for conducting blank registrations, a practice linked to examination malpractice. Prof. Oloyede noted, “We identified six CBT centers engaged in blank registration shortly after we began the online JAMB registration, so we sanctioned them and put them on suspension for this week.”

In response to the challenges, JAMB has assured affected candidates that they will be rescheduled for the examination. “Candidates who experienced technical glitches that prevented them from sitting for their exams will not be abandoned,” the board stated. However, it clarified that this consideration does not extend to candidates who missed their exams due to lateness or absence without valid reasons.

AAN TV reports that the board has also addressed concerns about underage applicants. Out of the 780,202 candidates registered so far, 11,512 are underage.

Prof. Oloyede warned that strict penalties would be enforced for underage candidates, stating, “We will impose some other penalty on them, that it will have been better for them to have stayed for their time, because they are going to waste their money.”

JAMB has urged higher institutions to prioritize the verification of results submitted by candidates, particularly those applying for Direct Entry admissions. The board highlighted that Bayero University, Kano, discovered that out of the 148 results it screened, only six were genuine, while the rest were forged.