The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has advised candidates preparing for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) programmes to carefully check their personal information before creating their JAMB profiles.
The Board gave the warning in a recent edition of its “JAMB Explained” series shared on its official social media platforms.
JAMB explained that candidates must ensure that the information on their National Identification Number (NIN) record is correct before beginning the registration process.
According to the Board, the personal information used to create a JAMB profile is obtained directly from the candidate’s NIN record with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
This means that candidates who have incorrect information on their NIN records may experience problems when registering for the examination or processing their admission.
JAMB stated that it does not create or edit the personal details supplied by NIMC.
The Board said, “JAMB does not create or edit your details. They come directly from your NIN record with NIMC.”
It therefore urged prospective candidates to check their information carefully before generating their JAMB profile codes.
The Board also warned candidates who discover mistakes in their names, dates of birth or other personal details not to assume that obtaining an affidavit would automatically lead to a correction on the JAMB platform.
According to JAMB, an affidavit alone does not automatically change information contained in its records.
Candidates are expected to follow the appropriate procedure for correcting errors in their personal information.
Six things candidates should check
1. Full name
Candidates should carefully check their full names on their NIN records before creating their JAMB profiles.
They should ensure that the spelling of their names is correct and that the names are arranged properly. Any difference in the spelling or arrangement of names could create difficulties during registration, admission processing or verification of documents.
Candidates who notice an error should resolve the issue before proceeding with their JAMB registration.
2. Date of birth
Candidates should also confirm that their date of birth on their NIN record is accurate.
A wrong date of birth can lead to discrepancies between a candidate’s JAMB records and other official documents. Such discrepancies may cause problems during admission and other stages of the educational process.
JAMB therefore advised candidates to verify their date of birth before generating their profile code.
3. Other personal information
Candidates should review all other personal information linked to their NIN records and make sure there are no mistakes.
They should not assume that only their names and dates of birth are important. Any incorrect information may create difficulties when their records are being checked.
4. NIN information
Prospective candidates should ensure that the information they provide during the JAMB registration process corresponds with the details held by NIMC.
Since JAMB obtains the candidate’s personal information from the NIN database, candidates should make sure their NIN records are accurate and up to date.
This is particularly important because candidates are required to use their NIN to generate a JAMB profile code before proceeding with UTME or Direct Entry registration.
5. Correct errors through the proper process
Candidates who discover errors in their NIN information should take steps to correct them through the appropriate NIMC process.
JAMB warned that candidates should not rely solely on an affidavit to correct mistakes in their records.
An affidavit may be part of the documents required in some circumstances, but it does not automatically change the information held by JAMB or NIMC.
Candidates are therefore advised to complete the required correction process before continuing with registration.
6. Verify details before creating a profile
JAMB advised candidates to complete the verification of their personal information before creating their profiles.
The Board said checking the information early would help candidates identify and resolve possible errors before registration.
This could also help reduce delays and other complications during the admission process.
JAMB’s official platform also provides a “Correction of Data” service for candidates who need to apply for changes to certain information.
The service covers areas such as names, date of birth, state or local government of origin and gender, subject to the Board’s prescribed procedures and applicable fees.
The Board has consistently reminded prospective candidates that their JAMB information should match their NIMC records.
Candidates are required to have a valid NIN and use it to generate their profile code before they can proceed with UTME or Direct Entry registration.
JAMB also advised candidates not to wait until the last minute before checking their information.
The Board said early verification would give candidates enough time to correct any errors and avoid unnecessary difficulties when registration begins.
For candidates seeking admission into universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions, accurate personal information is important throughout the admission process.
JAMB therefore urged all prospective UTME and Direct Entry candidates to take the verification process seriously and ensure that their NIN information is correct before creating their profiles.
The Board stressed that candidates should resolve any discrepancies through the appropriate channels before proceeding with registration, rather than assuming that the errors would be corrected automatically later.
Candidates are consequently advised to carefully check their names, date of birth and other personal information, correct any errors through the proper process and ensure that their records are consistent before starting their JAMB registration.
