ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has shifted the arrival time for candidates taking part in the first session of the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) from 6:30am to 7:30am.
Under the revised arrangement, candidates for the first session are expected to be at their designated Computer-Based Test centres by 7:30am, while the examination will run from 8:30am to 10:30am.
JAMB said the adjustment was made to address safety and logistical concerns associated with requiring candidates to travel to examination centres in the early hours of the morning.
Channels TV reports that the board announced the change in its weekly bulletin released in Abuja, explaining that the earlier schedule posed particular difficulties for candidates who live far from their assigned centres and might have to begin their journeys before dawn.
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According to JAMB, the decision followed deliberations at its 2026 Management and IT Retreat held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, between September 6 and 11.
The retreat considered concerns raised by members of the public about the implications of the 6:30am arrival requirement, particularly the challenges candidates could encounter while travelling in the early morning.
JAMB said the revised timing was expected to make the examination safer and more convenient for candidates and could also help reduce absenteeism linked to difficulties with early-morning travel.
The board, however, said the adjustment applies to the first examination session, while other sessions would continue to operate according to the established scheduling arrangements.
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The timing change was among decisions reached during the five-day retreat, which brought together JAMB management, state coordinators, heads of outstation offices and other relevant stakeholders.
Participants reviewed measures aimed at improving the efficiency, safety and credibility of the UTME, as well as the overall experience of candidates, against the backdrop of the growing scale of the examination.
Although the 2027 UTME is still months away, JAMB said preparations were already underway, with the board applying lessons from previous examinations and implementing decisions reached at the retreat.
It said the broader objective was to provide a more efficient, seamless and candidate-friendly examination process.
The board advised candidates and the general public to take note of the revised first-session timing and await further official information on the complete 2027 UTME timetable and other examination arrangements.