JAMB to Hold Additional Mop-Up Exam for Absent UTME Candidates
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will conduct additional mop-up exams for candidates who missed the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, announced this decision during a meeting with stakeholders in Abuja on Wednesday, addressing challenges faced during the 2025 UTME.
Oloyede stated that approximately 5.6 percent of candidates, who missed the exam, would be accommodated in this special mop-up exercise, extending the opportunity regardless of their reasons for absence.
“Normally, we hold one mop-up nationwide for those with one issue or the other. But this time, even those absent will have another chance. It’s like a make-up exam in class,” Oloyede explained.
He clarified that the UTME is primarily a placement test, not an achievement test, meant to rank candidates for available spaces in institutions, not to measure intelligence.
Oloyede emphasized that a high UTME score isn't the sole determinant of admission, as combined performance, including post-UTME scores and school assessments, plays a significant role.
Addressing criticisms, he acknowledged the emotional strain of announcing results but refuted claims of incompetence or ethnic bias, urging stakeholders to avoid ethnic profiling in the education sector.
He commended his team and the resilience of candidates, many of whom continued their exams despite challenges.
