JAMB introduces home pre-registration, biometric checks for 2027 UTME

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is introducing new registration and examination security measures for the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), including a mobile application that will allow candidates to complete preliminary registration from home.

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Segun Aina, disclosed this on Saturday during a five-kilometre health walk organised for staff in Bwari, Abuja, to mark the commencement of preparations for the 2027 examination.

According to Aina, the pre-registration application will enable prospective candidates to retrieve their personal information from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), submit their biodata and select preferred courses and institutions before visiting accredited registration centres for biometric capture.

He said the initiative would reduce congestion and waiting time at registration centres while making the registration process more convenient.

The application will also provide candidates with advisory information on previous admission requirements and entry marks for their preferred courses, helping them make informed decisions and avoid unrealistic admission choices.

JAMB is also developing a technical mechanism that will prevent candidates from proceeding with their applications if they select subject combinations that do not meet the admission requirements of their chosen programmes.

Aina explained that the measure would address recurring mistakes involving inappropriate subject combinations, which often affect candidates’ eligibility for admission.

On examination security, the registrar said the board would strengthen biometric verification during the 2027 UTME to prevent impersonation and protect the credibility of the examination.

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He noted that although JAMB had introduced certain concessions to ease difficulties associated with correcting candidates’ biodata and registration details, stricter biometric checks would accompany the changes.

Another planned innovation is a faulty-question reporting feature that will allow candidates to flag examination questions they consider incorrect or defective through a dedicated button on the computer-based test interface.

According to Aina, the information gathered would enable the board to investigate reported questions and ensure candidates are assessed fairly.

Candidates will also be able to rate their experiences at Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres after completing their examinations.

He described CBT centres as important private-sector partners that had supported JAMB for more than a decade, adding that the feedback mechanism would help the board monitor service quality and identify centres requiring improvements.

The registrar said the five-kilometre health walk was organised to energise staff, strengthen their commitment to service delivery and demonstrate the board’s readiness for the 2027 UTME, scheduled for March.

He reiterated JAMB’s commitment to expanding access to tertiary education through an efficient, transparent and credible admission process.

Aina urged staff members to intensify preparations and work collectively towards delivering a successful examination, assuring candidates and other stakeholders that further details of the planned innovations would be communicated as preparations progressed.