Imo State in the country registered the highest number of candidates of 92,890 candidates out of the 1.6 million candidates that are participating in this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination beginning Friday.
Oyo and Osun states trailed behind with 86,695 and 86,044 registered candidates respectively just as Sokoto, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have low registration with13,456, 10,077 and 6,418 candidates in that order.
Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB Registrar, who released the candidates’ registration table at a press conference in Abuja, Wednesday, said the board recorded a decrease of 55,642 applications, representing 3.2 percent in the sale of 2018 UTME application forms compared to that of 2017.
Oloyede also stated that 367 visually impaired candidates were expected to sit for the examinations, saying the figure was higher than previous years.
He identified stiffer and innovative measures introduced in the system to forestall multiple registration and other illicit practices by prospective candidates by the board as reason for the decrease.
The registrar said the board under his administration would maintain the culture of transparency, professionalism and global standards.
Recall that the nationwide examinations are scheduled to hold simultaneously in the 602 Computer Base Test, CBT, centres approved by JAMB across the country between March 9 and 17.
“At the end of the two months application window, we realised that 1,662,763 candidates registered for the 2018 exam. This was contrary to 1,718,425 candidates that registered for same exam within a month and two weeks period in 2017,”he said.
While promising an efficient system, with high tech security and monitoring, Oloyede urged candidates to adhere strictly to examination rules in order to avoid punishment that might affect their chances of securing admissions.
He reminded both candidates and invigilators of the ban on certain items, including: wrist watches, calculators, bluetooth devices, smart lenses and several others.
Prof. Oloyede warned candidates against patronizing syndicates who have positioned themselves strategically to lure and defraud them with “mouth watering” offers and scores.
Oloyede however explained that due to the boards ability to checkmate the registration process in order to curtail excesses and infractions may likely aid examination irregularity, the present number of registered candidates was significantly lower in comparison with 2017 UTME registrations.
“The 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will be conducted in 602 centres across the nation. The examination is scheduled to commence from Friday, March 9, and end on Friday, March 19, 2018. Every machinery has been put in place to ensure a smooth conduct.
“A total of 1,662,762 candidates registered for the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination within a period of two months as against 1,718,425 candidates who registered within one month (with an extension of two weeks) in 2017.
“The figure for the 2018 shows a decrease of 55,642 applicants when compared with last year’s 1,718,425 representing a decrease of 3.2 per cent.
“Findings also revealed that the drop in the number of candidates for this year’s UTME is largely due to measures put in place by the Board to forestall multiple registrations and other unwholesome registration practices by candidates.
“The Board will continue to provide all necessary support and logistics to the physically challenged candidates for them to attain their educational pursuit. The Equal Opportunity Group, a group of renowned scholars in education who assisted last year will be conducting the examination for the visually impaired candidates,” he said.
The JAMB boss noted that having ensured strict adherence by institutions to admission guidelines, only 842,505 candidates who met the needed requirement were qualified to be awarded admissions into tertiary institutions in the country
Oloyede gave the break down of the admission exercise as thus: “The 2017 admissions statistics shows that 1,840,225 candidates applied for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE).
A total of 1,187,997 candidates out of the above met the minimum cut-off points for the 2017 admission exercise of which 842,505 possess the minimum O’level requirement and cut-off points (Net Qualified Applicants),” he added.
According to him, Imo, Oyo, Osun, Ogun and Delta, Anambra, Edo, Kaduna, Kano and Ondo were the top ten states with highest number of applications by state of origin respectively, while Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Jigawa, Yobe, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara and the FCT recorded the lowest respectively.
Oloyede who advised the candidates to ensure their e-slips were printed and not to hesitate in report syndicate(s) who were out to defraud candidates, urged candidates to abide by the laid down rules and shun any act of indiscipline or infraction
“Candidates are urged to note that there shall be no rescheduling of any examination. Candidates are to adhere strictly to the date and time allocated to them for the examination as any candidate who fails to turn up on schedule for his/her examination automatically misses the examination.
“Candidates are advised to shun all forms of infractions. Let them prepare well by studying as there is no easy way to success. Lateness, rudeness, and all kinds of disruptive behaviour would not be tolerated.
