• JAMB has put the registration of 2021 UTME on hold
• The decision to postpone the registration exercise was taken on Thursday, April 8, in Abuja
• Fabian Benjamin, the JAMB’s head of media and protocol, said the registration exercise was cancelled due to some hitches

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has postponed the commencement of registration for the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE).

The Nation reports that the postponement was due to the inability of candidates to create their profiles, adding that the exercise was expected to commence on Thursday, April 8 to Saturday, May 15.

It was gathered that most banks were unable to generate the ePin (forms) for candidates as of Thursday, April 8.

According to the report, a Computer Based Test (CBT) centre operator said they were unable to download the application to use for the registration.

He said candidates who visited his centre were turned back because of these challenges.

Daily Nigerian also reports that the board, while announcing the guidelines for this year’s UTME, made the use of the National Identity Number (NIN) compulsory for the examination.

Fabian Benjamin, the JAMB’s head of media and protocol, said in Abuja that the board confirmed the challenges surrounding the registration exercise.

He said the delay followed the examination body’s effort to ensure candidates have access to its registration app for the 2021 UTME/DE and also finalise work on its pin vending process before the take-off of the exercise.

The examination board said:

”To be sure all processes are completed before the commencement, the Board didn’t place its advertorial as it was yet to complete the process of a smooth pin vending and candidate access to the registration app for the 2021 UTME/DE.

Also read: NIN glitches: JAMB finally begins registration of candidates for 2021 admissions

”This delay is caused by some unforeseen circumstances occasioned by our determined effort to have a NIN integration. This challenge is being resolved and once that is done, all processes shall commence.”

Meanwhile, we had previously reported that the JAMB said it has concluded all arrangements to begin the sale of 2021/2022 UTME and DE registration forms.

It was reported that the board said official dates for the commencement of the sale of both forms and the conduct of the examinations would be announced not later than March 24.