The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced measures to end the uncertainty faced by candidates awaiting admission, including more detailed updates on their admission status and simplified procedures for correcting personal information.
The Board said the changes were part of efforts to reduce the anxiety and frustration experienced by candidates during registration, examinations and admission, while strengthening transparency and public confidence in its operations.
JAMB Registrar, Segun Aina, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interaction with Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates as part of activities marking the Board’s 2026 Customer Week at its Abuja Zonal Office.
Aina said the reforms were designed to address longstanding complaints about unclear admission information, difficulties in correcting personal records and other challenges that had made the admission process unnecessarily stressful for candidates.
“All the policy optimisation that we are doing is centred around two things: building trust and reducing trauma,” he said.
He explained that candidates previously received vague admission notifications such as “not admitted” or “admission in progress”, without sufficient information to understand the status of their applications.
According to him, the improved system now provides more detailed information about admission progress, enabling candidates to understand their positions rather than remain uncertain while awaiting decisions.
The Registrar also disclosed that technological improvements had simplified procedures for updating telephone numbers and email addresses, particularly for candidates who had lost access to their registered contact details.
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On corrections to names and other personal information, Aina said collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) had enabled JAMB to address legitimate discrepancies in candidates’ records without compromising the integrity of the admission process.
He explained that the Board had previously imposed restrictions on such changes because of concerns that unscrupulous candidates could manipulate their identities to gain admission fraudulently.
However, improved technology and stronger verification mechanisms had made it possible to accommodate genuine corrections while maintaining safeguards against abuse.
Aina warned candidates against exploiting the new flexibility to perpetrate fraud, insisting that anyone caught manipulating the system would face legal consequences.
“If you are trying to take advantage of the system, please get ready. You will be feeling the full weight of the law in due course,” he warned.
The Registrar also disclosed that JAMB was considering the introduction of critical thinking and life skills assessments into its examinations to evaluate candidates beyond conventional academic knowledge.
He said a committee headed by a psychometrician, Boniface Nwogu, had been inaugurated to examine the feasibility of the proposal and determine whether reasoning, decision-making and practical application of knowledge could provide a broader assessment of candidates’ abilities.
Aina, however, clarified that no final decision had been taken, stressing that the committee’s recommendations would be subjected to management consideration before any implementation framework was developed.
He explained that if the proposal received approval, JAMB would constitute a panel of experts to work out the modalities, with any additional assessment complementing rather than replacing existing academic requirements.
Speaking on examination scheduling, Aina defended the harmonisation of examination timetables, noting that although the arrangement could shorten JAMB’s preparation period, it would facilitate the timely release of results and improve coordination of admission exercises.
He maintained that the Board’s responsibilities extended beyond conducting the UTME to ensuring that admission processes were transparent, fair and accessible to qualified candidates.
“The people we serve don’t need to know anybody to get admission,” he said, stressing that candidates should secure their rightful places based on established admission requirements rather than personal connections or influence.
Describing his administration’s approach as consolidation rather than rebranding, Aina acknowledged the contributions of previous JAMB leaderships, particularly his predecessor, Ishaq Oloyede, in strengthening examination integrity and expanding the use of technology.
He reiterated that the Board would continue refining its policies, improving institutional collaboration and deploying technology to make registration, examinations and admissions more transparent, credible and less stressful for candidates.
