The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB has extended the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME and the Direct Entry, DE registration by two weeks.
With the announcement, the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry earlier slated for June 3 will now commence from June 19 to July 3.
The decision, according to the board, was the outcome of a two-day stakeholders’ meeting the board had in Abuja.
He said stakeholders recommended that a two-week extension be granted to candidates who have not been able to register as a result of some challenges associated with the National Identification Number, NIN, and others.
The board also said the Mock UTME earlier scheduled for 20th May will now hold on June 3.
The board stated these in a communique issued at the end of a two – day meeting in Abuja.
The communique was read by the Registrar of JAMB, Prof Ishaq Oloyede on Saturday.
According to him, only 1,134,424 candidates (UTME+DE) have so far been registered.
Prof Oloyede 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.
“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.”
While directing computer- based test centres (CBT) to stop selling ePINs, the board said anyone who flout the directive would be sanctioned.
The board also warned CBT centre not to collect money for ePIN and registration fees simultaneously, adding that no CBT centre should collect registration fee until completion of registration.
The communique added: “Stakeholders reiterated the prohibition of group registration for candidates, with 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 unathorised sources will have to go to 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.”