176,408 candidates, on Thursday, sat for the 2023 Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Mock-UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) nationwide.
In some of the Computer Based Test (CBT) centres that NIGERIAN TRIBUNE monitored the exercise in Abuja, it was orderly except for some few hitches during biometric verification and actual examination.
It was observed that some candidates had issues with recognition of their biometrics while some others were logged out requiring the assistance of the technical staff of the CBT Centre to log in.
At Global Distance Learning Institute, Abuja, a candidate, Johnson Ede, commended the Board for the orderly conduct of the examination, saying he had no issue with his biometric verification and computer system used for the examination.
He noted that it was his first attempt at the UTME and that with the experience of the mock examination, there would be noting to fear during the main examination.
The 2023 Mock-UTME) which was initially scheduled to hold on Thursday,16th March 2023, was shifted to Thursday, 30th March 2023 because of change in the date for the Gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly Elections earlier scheduled to hold on Saturday,11th March 2023 but was moved to 18th March 2023.
The Spokesperson of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin explained that Mock-UTME is an optional examination introduced by the Board to provide opportunity for candidates to have hands-on experience with the system as well as afford the Board an opportunity to ascertain its readiness and that of its partners for the main UTME, which is scheduled to hold between 29th April, to 12th May, 2023.
Benjamin also announced that this year’s UTME would witness some groundbreaking innovations aimed at addressing observed infractions and centre failures.
He noted for instance that in the new regime, if there is a delay of up to one hour before the commencement of a particular session, that session stands cancelled and would be rescheduled along with the candidates.
He disclosed that a total of 176,408 candidates registered to sit for the 2023 Mock Mock-UTME.
