JAMB Schedules Special Mop-Up UTME for Over 5% of Absentee Candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to conduct a special mop-up examination for candidates who were absent during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) held on April 24.

The Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, made this known during a stakeholder meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, highlighting that approximately 5.6% of candidates, amounting to 71,701 individuals, failed to participate in the main examination.

Why the Mop-Up Exam?

According to JAMB, this additional mop-up is necessary to ensure fairness and equity for students who missed the exam for genuine reasons. While the board typically organizes a single mop-up exam annually, this year’s decision to include absentee candidates marks an unusual but inclusive step.

“Even those who missed the earlier examination due to absence, we will extend this opportunity to them,” said Oloyede. “It’s not something extraordinary—just like in class when students are allowed to make up missed tests.”

Background and Performance Statistics

JAMB released the full statistical breakdown of the 2025 UTME on May 5, revealing a concerning trend in performance. Out of over 1.95 million candidates who sat for the exam:

• Only 21.5% scored above 200.
• 4,756 candidates scored 320 and above.
• 7,658 scored between 300 and 319.
• 73,441 scored between 250 and 299.
• 334,560 scored between 200 and 249.
• A majority, 983,187, scored between 160 and 199.
• 488,197 scored between 140 and 159.

This means that roughly 78.5% of all candidates scored 200 or below, sparking widespread reactions and concern.

Not an Intelligence Test – JAMB Clarifies

Professor Oloyede stressed that the UTME should not be seen as an intelligence or achievement test, but rather as a ranking tool for placement into tertiary institutions.

He clarified that other factors such as post-UTME scores and school-based assessments also play a critical role in determining final admissions.

“It’s important to note that the UTME is not designed to measure intelligence but to allocate limited spaces fairly,” Oloyede said.

Addressing Public Criticism and Conspiracy Theories

Amid criticism over low scores and perceived irregularities, Oloyede dismissed conspiracy theories suggesting administrative failure or ethnic bias. He emphasized that while there were technical issues, these did not reflect systemic incompetence.

“Something went wrong, yes, but it doesn’t mean we should throw our people under the bus,” he added.

Oloyede also warned against using isolated challenges to fuel ethnic profiling or to spread misinformation about Nigeria’s education sector.

JAMB Commends Candidates’ Resilience

Despite the technical setbacks, JAMB acknowledged the determination and resilience of students who persevered through the exam process. The board applauded both the candidates and the examination team for their efforts under difficult circumstances.

The upcoming special mop-up UTME offers a second chance to thousands of students who missed the 2025 exam. It also represents JAMB’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and improving access to higher education in Nigeria.

Source: Nairametrics