JAMB Announces Dates for 2025 UTME Exams, Gives Conditions for Underage Admission, Introduces Mock for Underage

By Dansu Peter  The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced a mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) ...

By Dansu Peter 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced a mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for candidates under the age of 16, aimed at allowing them to assess their readiness for the examination, although it will not be used for tertiary institution admission.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made the announcement during a meeting with media executives in Lagos on Sunday. He revealed that this year’s UTME will be held on March 8, 2025, and that the sale of application forms will begin on January 31 and close on March 5. Additionally, a mock UTME will take place on February 23.

Oloyede clarified that the mock exam is not for candidates seeking tertiary admission but rather for underage individuals who wish to test their abilities in a simulated environment. "The mock UTME is intended for trial-testing only, not for admission purposes," he explained.

The Registrar further emphasized that the UTME age requirement remains strict, with candidates needing to be at least 16 years old on or before September 30 to qualify for admission into universities, polytechnics, or colleges of education. He added that candidates who do not wish to gain admission this year but want to experience the Computer-Based Test (CBT) may register for the mock exam solely for practice.

The sale of Direct Entry application documents and e-PIN vending will commence on March 10 and April 7, respectively. The fees for the exams are as follows: N8,200 for candidates taking both UTME and the mock exam, N7,200 for UTME without the mock, and N5,700 for mock-only candidates or Direct Entry applicants.

Oloyede also noted that the board will enforce the 16-year age limit for this year’s registration, allowing only exceptionally gifted candidates below 16 years to register. Underage candidates must score at least 280 marks in the UTME and perform exceptionally in their senior secondary certificate and post-UTME exams to be considered for admission.

"The policy meeting on admission set 16 years as the minimum age for 2024 admission, and despite efforts to extend this limit, a court ruling upheld the age requirement," Oloyede stated.

The former Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, had previously announced that only candidates aged 18 and above would be admitted into tertiary institutions. This move, which sparked significant public backlash, led to the reversal of the policy by the Federal Government. Dr. Tunji Alausa, Mamman’s successor, officially suspended the 18-year admission benchmark in November 2024.