By Joseph Erunke, Abuja
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced service improvements aimed at reducing admission-related anxiety, improving access to candidates’ accounts and ensuring a fairer admission process, while warning against identity fraud.
The Registrar of JAMB, Professor Segun Aina, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interaction with Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates at the board’s Abuja Zonal Office.
He said the reforms were designed to rebuild public confidence, minimise avoidable difficulties and make the admission process more transparent.
However, while promising greater flexibility for candidates seeking to correct legitimate errors in their personal information, Aina warned that anyone attempting to manipulate their identity or exploit the system would face the full weight of the law.
The registrar said the board’s policy adjustments were guided by the need to build trust and reduce the difficulties candidates experience during registration and admission.
“All the policy optimisation that we are doing is centred around two things: building trust and reducing trauma,” he said during the engagement, organised as part of JAMB’s 2026 Customer Week.
He explained that the board was not discarding its existing operational framework but strengthening it through targeted changes to make its services more responsive to candidates’ needs.
One of the major improvements, according to him, is the provision of more detailed information on candidates’ admission status, allowing applicants to better understand the progress of their applications.
Previously, candidates checking their status could encounter messages such as “not admitted” or “admission in progress” without sufficient information to explain their position.
Aina said the improved system would provide more details about the progress of admission applications, helping candidates avoid unnecessary uncertainty.
“Building trust is necessary. That is why now you can see the progress with your admission status. Instead of just seeing ‘not admitted’ or ‘admission in progress’ and just waiting and being nervous and being traumatised, we now have a situation where you can see the details,” he said.
He described the adjustment as an important step towards easing the pressure on candidates seeking admission into universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions.
JAMB eases correction of personal details
Aina also disclosed that the board had deployed technology to make it easier for candidates to update their telephone numbers and email addresses, particularly when they lose access to the contact details used during registration.
He said such changes had previously presented difficulties because the information served as unique identifiers within the board’s system.
The new approach, he explained, was intended to help candidates regain access to their accounts and update their details without unnecessary hardship, while preserving the security of the admission process.
On changes to names and other personal information, the registrar said JAMB had strengthened its collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to facilitate the alignment of candidates’ records across both institutions.
He commended NIMC for its cooperation and prompt response in resolving discrepancies in personal information.
According to him, JAMB had relied on NIMC data during registration but imposed restrictions on changing personal details because of the risk of identity manipulation after candidates had entered the admission system.
He said improvements in technology and institutional collaboration had created room for legitimate corrections under appropriate safeguards.
Aina, however, cautioned that the changes should not be exploited to falsify identities or circumvent admission rules.
“If you would like to change your entire name, we will keep track of you. And if you are trying to take advantage of the system, please get ready. You will be feeling the full weight of the law in due course,” he warned.
Aina pledges to build on past reforms
The registrar also rejected suggestions that the changes represented a wholesale rebranding of JAMB, describing his administration’s approach as a continuation of reforms introduced by previous leaderships.
He particularly acknowledged the contributions of his immediate predecessor, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, to sanitising the system and expanding the use of technology in the board’s operations.
“I inherited a fantastic institution. Credit to my predecessors, particularly my immediate past predecessor, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, who did a lot to sanitise the system even further and to adopt technology even further,” he said.
Aina said his administration would build on those achievements by improving service delivery, strengthening accountability and sustaining public confidence in the examination and admission system.
‘UTME is a means to an end’
Beyond customer service improvements, the registrar restated what he described as the board’s central responsibility: coordinating a credible admission process rather than merely conducting examinations.
He said the harmonised examination timetable, although potentially leaving JAMB with a shorter preparation period, was important to the wider education system because it helped ensure that results were released in time for institutions to conduct their admission exercises.
According to him, the UTME should be viewed as a means of determining candidates’ eligibility, while the ultimate objective is to ensure that qualified applicants secure admission into appropriate programmes.
“Don’t forget, we are popular for the exams, but the exam is not our only mandate. Our core, the exam is a means to an end. Our core is the admissions exercise itself,” he said.
Aina maintained that candidates should not need personal connections or access to influential individuals to secure admission.
He said JAMB had a responsibility to moderate interactions between candidates and tertiary institutions and ensure that qualified applicants received fair consideration under established admission requirements.
“The people we serve don’t need to know anybody to get admission. It is our job to stand and moderate the interaction between these candidates and the institutions, and make sure they get their rightful places in the universities,” he said.
JAMB considers critical thinking assessment
In another development, Aina disclosed that the board had inaugurated a committee to examine whether critical thinking and life skills could be incorporated into its examinations.
He stressed that the proposal remained under consideration and that no final decision had been taken on its adoption.
The committee, headed by Professor Nwogu, a psychometrician, is expected to examine whether assessing abilities beyond conventional academic subjects could provide a more comprehensive picture of candidates’ competencies and suitability for their chosen courses.
Aina explained that candidates were already required to meet the relevant O’level requirements before taking the UTME, but said the board was exploring whether additional assessment methods could help identify applicants with strong reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
He argued that academic knowledge alone might not fully capture the competencies required in professional practice, where individuals must apply knowledge to practical situations and make sound decisions.
Using medicine as an example, he said healthcare professionals needed more than technical knowledge, including the ability to assess situations, make responsible decisions and understand the consequences of their actions.
He said the proposed assessment would require rigorous investigation to determine whether critical thinking and life skills could be measured reliably and whether their inclusion would improve educational outcomes.
According to him, if the committee recommended the proposal and JAMB’s management approved it, a panel of experts would be constituted to develop an implementation framework.
He emphasised that the initiative was not intended to replace existing academic requirements but to explore additional ways of determining whether candidates possessed the abilities required for their chosen programmes.
Aina said the board would rely on the committee’s findings before deciding whether to introduce the proposed assessment, stressing the importance of evidence-based decisions in reforming the examination system.
If adopted, the proposal could broaden the basis for evaluating candidates, although its implications would depend on the committee’s recommendations and the final implementation framework.
The engagement formed part of JAMB’s 2026 Customer Week, which provides a platform for direct interaction with candidates, addressing their concerns and explaining measures being taken to improve the board’s services.
Aina reiterated that JAMB would continue to deploy technology, strengthen partnerships with relevant institutions and refine its policies to make registration, examinations and admission less stressful without compromising the credibility of the system.
He said the ultimate objective was to establish an admission framework in which candidates could obtain reliable information, resolve legitimate problems and compete fairly for available places in tertiary institutions.
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