The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a warning to candidates for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), urging them to avoid “desperate” selection of exam towns. Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the board’s spokesperson, shared this advisory in a statement made available to the media in Abuja on Sunday.
Benjamin clarified that JAMB does not assign towns to candidates for either the main examination or the optional mock exam. He pointed out that this notice is especially relevant as 90% of the spaces for the optional mock exam across the country have already been filled, leaving only a few states with available slots.
“We have noticed that candidates are showing strong preferences for certain towns, likely in hopes of participating in the optional mock exam. This announcement is meant to discourage candidates from choosing towns out of desperation, only to later blame the Board for assigning them to faraway locations,” he explained.
The spokesperson further noted that the only states with remaining slots for the optional mock exam are Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe. Candidates wishing to take part in the mock exam in these states are advised to choose their examination towns accordingly.
While Benjamin reiterated that candidates are free to select their preferred examination towns, he cautioned them to consider the practical aspects of their decisions. Some may choose towns that are far from their residences or even outside their home state, and the Board will not be held accountable for such choices.
“The allocation of mock exam slots depends on the availability of centers, and once a town’s capacity is filled, it will no longer be an option for selection,” he said.
Benjamin concluded by emphasizing that the mock exam is designed to help candidates experience the Computer-Based Test (CBT) environment and allow the Board to test its facilities. He encouraged candidates to make thoughtful decisions about their exam towns, taking into account travel logistics and convenience to ensure a smoother exam day experience.
