The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has started conducting the mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for at least 211,000 candidates across the country on Thursday.
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JAMB officials said the mock exam is meant to help candidates get used to the Computer-Based Testing (CBT) system used for the real exam.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, shared this while observing the mock exam at a CBT center in Bwari, Abuja. He said the results of the mock exam will be ready on Friday. “They will get their results tomorrow. We are working on the results now, comparing them with those from the second and third batches. By tomorrow, the results will be available,” he said.
Oloyede also explained that the mock exam is to test JAMB’s preparation for the main exam and try out new methods to improve the process.
He added, “The word is mock, and we are just testing things. As students are getting smarter, we are also improving. We want to learn lessons from this mock exam so we can do better for the real exam. So far, so good.”
Oloyede emphasized that the only way to pass the UTME is by studying hard. He expressed concern that some candidates are using fake websites to cheat. He also mentioned that JAMB has created a fake website to catch these cheaters.
“We want students to know that the best way to pass is to study. We know about fake websites that ask students to pay for help. It doesn’t work. We created our own fake website, and about 180 students have paid so far,” he said.
He warned that those caught trying to cheat will face serious consequences. “Trying to cheat is a violation, and we will act firmly against those involved. Many institutions want to boast about their students’ high scores, but we are aware of this, and we are stopping it,” Oloyede added.
He also warned candidates not to share their registration numbers with anyone, as some schools try to cheat by registering students on their behalf.
“We have caught about 180 students, and we will cancel their results for both UTME and Direct Entry (DE),” he said.
Oloyede advised students to stay away from fraudulent websites claiming to help during the exam. “Some students are paying N30,000 for something that will never work. When I see who has paid, I just smile,” he said.
The 2025 UTME is set to start on April 25 at approved CBT centers across the country.
