The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has shifted the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) from June 19 to July 3.

The Board also announced the extension of registration for the examination by 2 weeks, with the exercise now to end on May 29.

This disclosure was made by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof Ishaq Oloyede, at an ongoing press conference on Saturday in Abuja.

Oloyede said that the decision was the outcome of a 2-day stakeholders’ meeting the board had in Abuja.

The examination was earlier slated to hold between June 5 and 19.

He stated during the press conference that JAMB expects that the 2-week extension will provide more candidates an opportunity to register for the examination.

The JAMB Registrar while reading the board’s communique after the meeting also said the Mock UTME earlier scheduled for 20th May will now hold on June 3 adding that only 1,134,424 candidates (UTME+DE) have so far been registered.

What JAMB Registrar is saying

Professor Oloyede, in his statement, said, “Desirous of affording prospective candidates more time to complete their registration for the 2021 UTME/DE, which was expected to end on Saturday, May 15, 2021, stakeholders recommended a two-week extension for registration, to now end on May 29, 2021.

“The extension is contingent upon stakeholders’ firm commitment to deliver on their respective responsibilities.

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“Accordingly, the 2021 Mock UTME earlier scheduled for 20th May 2021 will now hold on June 3, 2021, while the main UTME will hold from June 19 – July 3, 2021. JAMB will dispatch monitoring teams to all States of the Federation and the FCT during the extension period.”

The board directed computer-based test centres (CBT) to stop selling ePINs and also not to collect registration fee until completion of registration, warning that flouting this directive would attract appropriate sanctions.

The statement also says, “Stakeholders reiterated the prohibition of group registration for candidates, with the threat of sanction against any CBT centre that violates the instruction.

“CBT centres are directed to open all twenty (20) allowable registration points to, ease congestion at the centres.

“Candidates for Direct Entry are reminded to, while procuring their ePIN, specify their category of admission. However, where a DE candidate mistakenly purchases an ePIN for UTME, the selling point is hereby directed to rectify the error by swapping the ePIN to DE at no further cost to the candidate.

“Digital Service Providers are encouraged to expand their facilities, including the provision of redundancy links. NIMC pledged to give priority attention to UTME/DE prospective candidates.

“All prospective candidates and other Users who have not received a response from 55019 are requested to send their Tracking ID or NIN to nimc jamb2021@nimc.gov.ng. However, those who had obtained their NIN through unauthorised sources will have to go to the NIMC office to resolve their challenges.

“NIMC further pledged to deploy special monitoring teams and to sanction any NIMC agent found extorting candidates in the cause of enrolment.

“Against the background of its below-par performance, one of the operators gave firm assurance of the optimisation of its services during the extension of the registration and examination.

“Stakeholders implored the Federal Ministry of Education to discourage parents from seeking to register underage and immature candidates to pursue tertiary education ahead of their time.”