For the administration of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has required that all Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers utilize laptop computers with at least 2 gigabytes (2GB) of RAM (UTME).
In addition, the board forbids CBT centers from working with internet cafes or tutorial facilities, warning that “any breach of the order, whether in part or whole, will result in the cancellation of the erring CBT center’s licence.”
Additionally, JAMB said that it would explore splitting UTME registration from Direct Entry as of 2023. (DE).
These are snippets from the updated rules for the board, which were released on Monday in its weekly bulletin.
The latest findings were revealed during a five-day retreat that took place in Abuja between Monday, September 19 and Friday, September 23.
“No new Computer-Based Test (CBT) center will be certified until the new standards are satisfied,” according to JAMB. To that purpose, neither thin clients or Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) will be permitted in new CBT centers; only laptop computers may be used as clients.
“To make significant improvements on many difficulties emerging from the registration process, biometric challenges, and other operational processes,” the board’s operations have to be changed.
JAMB said it will implement three required Autobot tests — pre-accreditation, during Mock-UTME, and the mock exam — to assess the preparedness of the CBT centers (held a day before the UTME).
It said, “The requirement to avoid IP address duplication and misuse was another major element in the decision.”
The Registrar of JAMB, Ishaq Oloyede, also announced that biometric data from all authorized CBT center registration officials will be gathered prior to the test.
Candidates must use at least two fingers to print their registration forms, according to JAMB. Any of the two fingers that were taken on the test day will be used for biometric verification before entering the examination room, it said.
erroneous prints
At the registration point, candidates with poor fingerprint results would be scheduled as “Exemption Candidates” for the test, and their registration papers would be color-coded to set them apart from other applicants.
Such applicants, according to JAMB, will take their tests in Abuja on the last day of the national examination calendar, and their results won’t be made public until they have through a careful review.