TWO CANDIDATES CAN’T SHARE PHONE NUMBER, JAMB WARNS

TWO CANDIDATES CAN’T SHARE PHONE NUMBER, JAMB WARNS

As registration for the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began on Monday, the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) has warned that a phone number can only be used to register one candidate.

The board said it discovered that some candidates tried to register their friends or siblings with the same number as, warning that numbers are tied to individual candidates.

This year, the sale or registration for all candidates (UTME /DE) including for those outside Nigeria, will run from January 10 to February 21.

Also, the 2019 computer-based test examination will begin on Saturday, March 16 and end on March 23.

Speaking with a news agency in a phone interview Thursday evening, the spokesperson of the board, Fabian Benjamin, said one cell (mobile ) number can only be used by one candidate.

“The cell phone number used for the text message is automatically tied to the candidate’s name and will be used in all communications related to his/ her 2019 application, examination or admissions,” he said.

According to him, some candidates were trying to register with their parents’ numbers but it did not go because the numbers had been used before either by their siblings or relatives.

“We designed the software to reject and rectify issues around this. Once you create your profile with a number, your details are already attached to it. Therefore, another candidate cannot use it.

“But if you use a number last year and you didn’t get admission, you can definitely use it again. A candidate may decide to use a number over and over until he gets admission with a number,” he said.

Asked if a student can switch their registration to another line if the phone originally used is stolen, Mr Benjamin said a candidate can use a new sim card but another candidate cannot use the stolen sim card.

He said the phone number is the candidate’s personal identity, stressing that “two candidates cannot use the same numbers.”

On how to go through the registration process, he said candidates are to present the e-pins at any JAMB accredited CBT centre for registration.

According to him, no candidate should proceed to any CBT centre without first creating a profile.

He advised candidates to create their profiles by sending their names (Surname, First-name, and Middle-name) via SMS to 55019, “after which a 10 digit profile code would be sent to their telephone numbers.

“This code will then be used to purchase the application document at the point of purchase (Banks, MMOs, MFBs, USSD Partners etc). A form e-pin would then be sent to the candidate via SMS,” he said.

On how candidates can help themselves in case of mistake or loss of profile code, Mr Benjamin said ”to correct a mistake in a candidate’s name, send the ( CORRECT Surname First-Name Middle Name) to 55019 as a text message from the same mobile number.

He said candidates can send (RESEND) to 55019 as a text message from the same mobile number to retrieve a lost profile code.

”Candidates can reset lost or forgotten Profile Password on their registered cell phone by sending (password ) space (email address) to 55019 as a text message from the same mobile number,” he explained.

Anaedoonline reported the board saying any candidate with biometric issues must report at its office in Abuja to resolve the issues and write the examinations.

The board said it is part of its new measures to curb cheating in its examinations.

JAMB is charged with the responsibility of administering examinations for applicants to Nigerian public and private universities, monotechnics, polytechnics and colleges of education.