The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Tuesday commenced the conduct of the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

A visit to some of the computer-based test centres in Abuja and its environs revealed that the examination was free from technical hitches.

At a centre opposite the Ministry of Finance, Central Business Area, Abuja, it was observed that as of 6:50 a.m., candidates were already waiting for the examination to start.

It was also observed that the first session of the examinations was to commence at exactly 8:00 a.m. and did not start until a few minutes before 9:00 a.m.

Asked why the candidates were still waiting, an invigilator, who gave his name as Rilwanu, revealed that the time was moved from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. as they were awaiting orders from JAMB headquarters.

One of the high opinion leaders for the examination, Abdulrahman Balogun, said there were no technical hitches, but the little delay was from JAMB headquarters.

”We had some little delay at this centre, the examination that ought to have started at 7:00 a.m. did not start, and when asked, I was told it was not due to any technical hitch, but they were waiting for a signal from JAMB headquarters.”

Mr Balogun, who said that candidates in the second batch had been screened to ascertain their centre, commended the process, saying that close to 99 per cent success in orderliness, smoothness and arrangement was recorded.

Some candidates, after their examinations, commended the process and prayed for sustainability in future examinations.

Hassan Usman, who attempted the examination for the third time, praised the board for the hitch-free experience.

”We did not experience any hitch. This is my best examination because, from the last two examinations I wrote, there were usually technical faults that prevented me from gaining admission into a tertiary institution.

At the Future Gate CBT Centre 2q in Ado, Nasarawa State, Timothy Abuga, a supervisor, said there were no hitches with the conduct of the examination.

”We are expecting more than 250 candidates for the exam. The network is encouraging, and the centre, too, is conducive for candidates.

Also, Samson Ichimso, a candidate, who had written the examination in 2022, expressed satisfaction with the 2023 conduct, saying that this year’s examination is preferable.

The stories from candidates at the Future Gate CBT Centre 1 and the Zinaria CBT Centre in Mararaba were not different from that of the Future Gate CBT Centre 2.

No fewer than 1.6 million candidates will be writing the 2023 UTME in about 600 approved CBT centres across the country.

(NAN)