By Felix Khanoba
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says no fewer than 704,395 candidates have so far registered for this year’s Direct Entry and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The registration exercise which commenced on 13 January, 2020 (14 days ago) in 692 Computer Based-Test (CBT) centres is expected to end on February 17.
The exam body said it also raked in N2.2bilion into its coffers within the last seven days from deposit for e-Registration pins.
JAMB made these known in its weekly bulletin made available to The AUTHORITY by its Head of Media, Dr Fabian Benjamin, in Abuja on Monday.
While expressing its readiness to ensure a robust registration that will herald a seamless conduct of the matriculation examination, the Board said it has summoned 38 centres for a meeting in Abuja over their involvement in registration cyber fraud.
The affected centres are PTDF E-Resource Centre, University of Uyo, town campus annex, Akwa Ibom State; Adazi-Nnu-kwu ICT/CBT centre, Union Primary school road, Adazi-Nnukwu, Anambra State; Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Centre I, Bayelsa State and Brightfield School, Ekpan, Delta State.
The list also includes Dialogue Computer Institute, Kofa Sauri, Katsina State; Parrot Cyberworld Limited, Ilorin, Kwara State; Malicomp Computers, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos State; E-Plus Network, Keffi, Nasarawa State, among others.
The exam body, which warned of its zero tolerance for centres that engage in extortion of candidates, said over 11 CBT centres have earlier been suspended for extortion and technical deficiency.
The AUTHORITY reports that this year’s UTME will be conducted between March 14 and April 4, 2020. About two million candidates are expected to take part in the exam.
1.88million candidates registered for the exam in 2019 while 103,176 others obtained Direct Entry forms the same year.
