The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced a mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) specifically for candidates under the age of 16.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, clarified that the mock UTME is not intended for tertiary institution admission but as a trial for underage candidates seeking to assess their ability.
Oloyede made the announcement during a meeting with media executives in Lagos on Sunday, also revealing that the 2025 UTME will take place on March 8, 2025.
He said, “We are starting the sale of forms on the 31st of January till 5th of March. There will be a mock exam on the 23rd of February and on the 8th of March there will be UTME.”
The JAMB Registrar explained that this year’s mock exam is intended as a trial-test for underage candidates who will not qualify for admission into universities, polytechnics, or colleges of education due to their age. He emphasized that candidates must be 16 years old on or before September 30 to qualify for UTME and admission into tertiary institutions.
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For candidates who are not seeking admission in 2025 but wish to experience the computer-based test (CBT), Oloyede noted that they can register solely for the mock trial-testing exam.
He also shared the fee structure for the various categories: N8,200 for UTME with mock, N7,200 for UTME only, and N5,700 for mock-only (trial-testing) or direct entry candidates.
In addition, Oloyede confirmed that the board would strictly enforce the 16-year age limit for this year’s UTME registration, allowing only gifted candidates under 15 years to register. However, such underage candidates must score no less than 280 marks in UTME and perform exceptionally in their senior secondary certificate and post-UTME exams to qualify for admission.
“The policy meeting on admission adopted 16 years as the minimum for 2024 admission. JAMB tried to assist by extending the date to accommodate more candidates, but we were taken to court to reverse the extension to 16 years,” Oloyede explained.
Former Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had announced last year that only candidates aged 18 and above would be admitted into tertiary institutions, a decision that faced widespread criticism and led to the reversal of the policy.
In other updates, Oloyede disclosed that 870 computer-based test centres have been screened and provisionally listed for the 2025 UTME, an increase from 747 centres approved in 2024.