Relief as JAMB clears 3,000 candidates hit by record errors, NYSC delays

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has cleared more than 3,000 candidates whose academic progress and mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) were delayed due to errors in their personal records.

Very Nigerian reported that the development followed a directive by JAMB Registrar, Segun Aina, for a review of cases involving candidates who had previously been unable to correct errors in their personal details because of the board’s restrictions.

Sources within the examination body disclosed that the affected candidates had faced difficulties resolving discrepancies in their records, leaving their academic pursuits and NYSC mobilisation on hold.

One JAMB official, however, explained that many of the affected candidates “were not invalidly admitted and had not necessarily committed any admission-related infraction”.

Findings showed that some candidates had corrected their personal information with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) but could not have the changes reflected in their JAMB profiles.

The affected candidates include women seeking to update their names after marriage and individuals who made mistakes while entering their first or last names.

The official said the registrar ordered a fresh review after recognising that some candidates had legitimate reasons for seeking corrections.

“Candidates who had committed no wrongdoing should not be condemned to indefinite hardship simply because of genuine, correctable errors,” he said.

He added that several candidates who had raised complaints about discrepancies involving their national identification number (NIN) data had been attended to and cleared on the registrar’s directive.

STUDENT LOSES OUT ON NELFUND LOAN OVER NAME DISCREPANCY

A final year student of linguistic at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, told TheCable that an error in his name during NIN registration in 2021 prevented him from accessing the student loan through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

The student, who scored 250 in the 2021 unified tertiary matriculation examination (UTME) and gained admission to OAU on merit, said he repeatedly visited JAMB offices in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, and Osogbo, Osun state, to correct the discrepancy.

“The story started in 2021 when I registered for my second UTME. The NIN that I used then. There was a need to change my NIN profile because it didn’t tally with the rest of my documents,” said the student, who asked not to be named.

Although NIMC had corrected his NIN details, JAMB rejected his request because its policy does not permit name changes beyond correction of individual letters.

He said the discrepancy prevented him from accessing opportunities that required his records with JAMB and his university to match.

“You can’t apply for NELFUND loan without your correct details with the school and the JAMB. I have been stuck,” he lamented.

“But thank God for the new policy. I met several people who could not go for NYSC on many occasions that I visited JAMB office due to similar reasons. I know people who said they had graduated two three years ago and could not go further with their NYSC mobilisation as a result of that thing.”

However, the student said JAMB approved his correction in mid-October, noting that the process took about 30 minutes.

BACK STORY

In 202o, JAMB made NIN a compulsory requirement for UTME and direct entry (DE) to harmonise candidates’ personal data and guide against examination malpractice.

A source within the board said the restrictions on data corrections were introduced partly to prevent candidates from manipulating their records to circumvent the admission system.

“Before the NIN requirement, some candidates engaged in multiple registration, knowing that JAMB could not easily detect discrepancies in their personal information,” he said.

“However, the board’s long-standing policy on data correction have left some candidates unable to progress with their education or career plans, even correcting their details with relevant authorities.

“Some graduates could not participate in NYSC mobilisation, while undergraduates faced difficulties accessing student loans and other opportunities.

THE NIMC MODIFICATION PORTAL

A senior JAMB official also said the board is now leveraging NIMC’s NIN modification portal to address the discrepancies between candidates’ records and their verified identity information.

Kayode Adegoke, NIMC spokesperson, said the commission had introduced a self-service portal that allows Nigerians with genuine cases to correct their personal information, including names, phone numbers and addresses.

He said the portal had been available for more than a year and had facilitated millions of modifications.

“If Nigerians want to modify their NIN data, may be your name, phone number, home address, maybe you were single, and now you were single and married now and you want to change your name; the process is simple and seamless,” Adegoke told Very Nigerian in an interview.

“You don’t need to go our office for anybody to do it for you. We call it the self-service modification portal. On this portal, just change whatever you want to change by yourself.”

He added that NIMC and JAMB had a strategic relationship that allowed the board to harmonise candidates’ records with the commission’s data base.

“We have a strategic relationship with JAMB. For instance, if you are registering for JAMB, you have to fill in your national identification number. It’s part of the harmonization process,” he said.

“For any modification, people should use self-service modification portal. It works well; millions of modifications have been done on the portal.”

JAMB EASES SIM CARDS, EMAIL CORRECTIONS

Very Nigerian also learnt that JAMB has also introduced procedures to address problems involving lost SIM cards and inaccessible or incorrectly entered email addresses.

Previously, candidates who lost access to the phone numbers used to create their JAMB profiles often struggled to complete subsequent transactions because they could not recieve verification codes.

Findings showed that some were unable to register for UTME for years after losing their SIM cards, while others had sought educational opportunities outside Nigeria.

However, JAMB has introduced a process that allows candidates to apply for changes to their registered phone numbers, subject to verification.

Very Nigerian understands that they can also request corrections to incorrectly entered email addresses or update details where they have lost access to their accounts.

“These measures represent a significant departure from a system in which an initial error could become a prolonged barrier to accessing essential admission services,” one of the sources said.

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