BWARI (ABUJA) – The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Tuesday said that the conduct of its 2020 mock examination for UTME candidates was so far, hitch-free.

The Board’s Head of Media, Dr Fabian Benjamin, who spoke in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said that the exercise was a success.

According to him, as at the time of filing this report, the board was yet to receive any official complaint on the conduct of the exercise.

NAN reports that the 2020 mock UTME was scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 18 in the board’s 64 accredited centres nationwide.

The Registrar of the board, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede had on Monday, said that about 350,000 candidates were expected to sit for the exercise.

Oloyede said that the board would also automate the mock examinations in some of its centres whereby, centres that may not have candidates physically would be automated and used remotely for the exercise.

NAN correspondent, who visited some of the centres in Bwari, reports that except for those who came late for the exercise and could not have access, the exercise was without hassle.

Ifeanyi Amos, one of the candidates told NAN that he was not allowed to sit for the examination because he came one hour behind the scheduled time.

However, Ruth Yona, another candidate, who said she successfully sat for the exercise described it as smooth.

According to her, she is now familiar with the system and ready for the main examination.

NAN reports that the board had also earlier announced in one of its weekly bulletins that the exercise was at no cost to the candidates.

It, however, stated that a sum of N600 only, was payable to private centre owners for candidates posted to centres not owned by JAMB.

The board also reiterated that the mock examination, was voluntary and initiated as preparatory to the main UTME; it was to assist candidates to be in tune with the rudiments of the Computer Based Test (CBT).

It was also initiated to help the Board test its facilities with a view to having a hitch-free examination.

The results from the exercise, however, would not be added or have any effect on the main examination.

NAN reports that over 2 million candidates for both UTME and DE have so far registered for the 2020 exercise, which is scheduled to commence from March 14 to April 4, nationwide.