Missed the 2025 UTME? JAMB Plans Nationwide Mop-Up Exam, Says Oloyede, Amid Tight Academic Calendar

 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has confirmed it will organize a mop-up examination for candidates who were unable to participate in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The decision, aimed at ensuring no eligible candidate is left behind, was revealed by the Registrar and Chief Executive of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday.

Addressing Chief External Examiners, state technical advisers, and other critical players in the education sector, Oloyede explained that the initiative targets the small percentage of candidates—about 5 to 6 percent—who missed the initial exam for various reasons. According to him, JAMB has always conducted mop-up exams annually and is merely extending that policy in line with existing educational standards.

He emphasized that the new arrangement would include not only those who missed the main UTME but also candidates who were absent during the rescheduled sessions. "We have decided that all those who missed that examination for whatever reason... we would be having mop-up," Oloyede said. "It is not unusual. Universities conduct make-up examinations, and this is similar. What we are doing is within global best practices; we are only careful to prevent abuse."

Oloyede pushed back against criticisms over the speed of the rescheduled exams for affected candidates. He argued that the fast-paced nature of Nigeria’s academic calendar necessitates swift decisions, pointing to the immediate commencement of other major national exams such as WASSCE, NECO, and NABTEB. These exams often involve the same pool of students who sit for UTME, making any delays in JAMB’s schedule potentially disruptive to their academic progress.

Responding to suggestions that the mop-up be delayed until July or August, the registrar dismissed such proposals as impractical. He cited ongoing admissions into institutions like the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Police Academy, and other federal establishments that depend on timely UTME results. "Once you missed your time, it becomes very difficult," he said. "People asking for delay may not understand the urgency or the chain of educational activities these students are tied to."

He reassured the public of JAMB’s commitment to fairness and national interest, stating that all efforts are being made to balance opportunity and integrity. Accusations of favoritism or mismanagement were roundly rejected, with the registrar reaffirming JAMB’s position as a transparent and accountable institution.

"We are conscious of our responsibility to this nation," he concluded, underscoring that the mop-up exercise is not a deviation from procedure but an essential intervention to uphold access and equity in the tertiary education admission process.

With this move, thousands of candidates who were at risk of missing out on university admissions due to exam disruptions now have another chance to prove themselves.