The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to conduct a mop-up examination for candidates who were unable to participate in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) due to technical glitches and other reasons.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made this announcement on Wednesday during a stakeholders' meeting with Chief External Examiners, state technical advisers, and other key stakeholders in Abuja.

"We are taking a decision immediately that all those who missed the examination for whatever reason — the 5 per cent or 6 percent that missed the examination — we would be having a mop-up," Prof. Oloyede stated.

The JAMB boss explained that the opportunity would be extended to candidates who were absent during both the initial examination and the recently rescheduled tests. "Normally, we have annual mop-up throughout the country for those who have one reason or the other. So we will allow all the candidates who because of one thing or the other were not present in this (rescheduled) and the previous main exam," he added.

Addressing criticisms about the swift rescheduling of the examination, Prof. Oloyede emphasized the tight academic calendar that UTME candidates must adhere to. He explained that the timing is crucial due to other scheduled examinations like WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB, as well as admission processes for institutions such as the Nigerian Defence Academy and Police Academy.

"Most people are asking why the hasty rescheduling? Those people are far from knowing the reality on ground. They are talking from lack of knowledge. Anybody who knows how the education system works knows that once JAMB conducts its UTME, from May WASSCE starts, and immediately NECO starts, and immediately NABTEB follows," he explained.

The Registrar dismissed suggestions to postpone the examination to July or August, citing potential disadvantages for students seeking admission into various institutions. "What of NDA? What of the Police Academy, what of air force exams that are regulated? They continue with their admissions and you deprive these people admission because they do not have UTME," he said.

Prof. Oloyede also rejected insinuations of bias in handling the crisis, reiterating his commitment to integrity and national duty.

This development comes amid ongoing discussions about the 2025 UTME, which has faced various challenges. JAMB had previously announced that it would release resit results for approximately 379,000 candidates, and there have been reports that Nigerian universities might accept JAMB scores as low as 140, 150, or 160 for the 2025 admission process.