JAMB Raises Alarm as Over 85,000 Candidates Risk Missing 2025 UTME Mop-Up Exam Due to Slip Neglect

Less than 24 hours to the 2025 UTME mop-up examination, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has sounded the alarm over an alarming low turnout in slip printing, warning that thousands of candidates risk missing the exam scheduled for Saturday, June 28. As of Friday morning, June 27, only 12,442 of the 98,232 registered candidates—just 12.6%—had printed their examination slips.

JAMB’s Head of Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, described the situation as disturbing, especially for an exam that serves as a final chance for candidates who missed the main UTME earlier this year. He stressed that without printing the slip, which contains exam venue, date, and time, candidates would be disqualified automatically, regardless of registration status.

The Board disclosed that it has dispatched both human and technological resources nationwide to ensure a seamless process, including monitoring cybercafés and accredited printing centers to track compliance and encourage last-minute printing among lagging candidates. Officials said candidates have been receiving SMS and email reminders, but compliance remains worryingly low.

Fabian Benjamin emphasized that the mop-up exam is not a routine exercise, but a rare privilege designed only for candidates with verified issues during the initial UTME phase—ranging from biometric failures to technical disruptions. “We will not reschedule this mop-up exam. This is their final opportunity,” he reiterated.

JAMB also expressed disappointment in the attitude of some candidates, accusing many of waiting until the last minute despite weeks of public awareness and notification campaigns. The Board urged parents, guardians, and schools to assist and mobilize affected candidates, warning that the cost of nonchalance could be a wasted academic year.

According to internal data, states like Lagos, Rivers, and Kano recorded the lowest compliance, despite having the highest number of affected candidates. Some centers reported that only 2 out of every 10 registered candidates had shown up to print their slips by Friday afternoon.

JAMB has called on all media outlets, schools, and civil society organizations to amplify the urgency, warning that Saturday’s exam will proceed as scheduled, and no excuses will be entertained from those who fail to show up due to avoidable slip negligence.