Post UTME/DE (2024/2025): Exam or Screening?

WILL INSTITUTIONS CONDUCT POST-UTME OR ADMISSION SCREENING DURING 2024 ADMISSION?

Every year, admission seekers are thrown into confusion regarding the modalities the post-UTME of universities, polytechnics, or colleges of education will take. Will the post UTME be screening or exams?

It could have been easier for candidates to know which is which if schools can repeat what they have done in the previous years.

By this I mean, if a school was known for post UTME test, students can conclude that the new year admission exercise will adopt post UTME as well. And if a school was used to only admission screening, students can expect physical checking of credentials.

But stories never remain the same in Nigeria. Things change with the twinkle of an eye.

Recently, JAMB went to court to discontinue schools from conducting post UTME and activists stood up to challenge post-UTME exercises, things may not be as we’re used to.

The new development was that JAMB has given in. Any school can conduct post-UTME if they deem it fit. But they should NOT charge more than N2,000 for the form and the exercise. We can then conclude that by making an attempt to stop those schools from conducting post-UTME, the exams body only aimed to prevent extortion of parents and students.

This is why I look into two possible forms that before-admission screening exercises may take this year. These two possible methods are covered below.

Possible Forms Post UTME May Take in 2024

1. Admission Screening Only Method

Your school may consider admission screening instead of Post UTME (test or exams).

What is "Screening Only" and what form does it take?

Screening only involves online or physical checking of UTME scores and SSCE grades of the admission seekers. Based on these two criteria, schools then offer you admission.

Schools, well known for admission screening ONLY, include the Federal University of Oye Ekiti, Osun State University, Lagos State University, Kwara State University, Federal Polytechnic Offa, Osun State Polytechnic Iree, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Osun State College of Technology Esa-Oke, Adeyemi College/the University of Education Ondo, etc.

Admission screening can take any of the forms below:

1. Scanning and Uploading of students’ credentials including UTME results, SSCE results, Local Government Identification, Birth certificates or and others to the school's admission portal during the exercise registration e.g, Osun State University, Osogbo, Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Kwara State University Ilorin, etc
   
2. Online Registration, Presentation, and Submission of Credentials to the admission screening committee of the school during the exercise e.g Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Osun State College of Technology Esa-Oke etc
   
3. Selecting students based on prescription by JAMB. Here, the school just waits for JAMB to give them the list of candidates the board has approved for their admissions. Such schools don't conduct further screening (exams or credentials checking until the school documentation time) - they just give admission to aspirants based on JAMB recommendations e.g Federal College of Agriculture, Moor Plantation Ibadan.

Recommended: When Will JAMB and Schools Give Admissions For This Year?

2. Post UTME Together with Admission Screening

Some schools may end up conducting post-UTME tests. You will register online for the exercise and still partake in their computer-based exams.

Schools, well known for this, include Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Benin, University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Federal Polytechnic Ede, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna, etc.

Recommended Post: Will Federal Poly Ado Write Post UTME? See Answer!

What Admission Seekers Should Expect

You might have heard or read that the court has instructed schools not to conduct post-UTME tests. But this may not mean that they won’t continue with the screening.

And don't fall for it - schools (used to exams) may still continue with their test in the meantime.

Some schools may actually agree not to write tests, but they will still want you to buy and register for their forms online. Then, you will be forced to partake in the admission screening exercise instead (which can take the form of uploading and submission of results and credentials to the school portals or admission committees).

Recommended: How to Buy Post UTME (DE)/Screening Form Online

However, some institutions can be so stubborn that they may not yield to the court’s order (if any). This judgment was passed in 2016 which forced some of these stubborn institutions to end up with admission screening instead of tests. But in 2017 and 2018, they still returned to their old ways (post-UTME computer-based test).

Wait patiently for whatever method your proposed school chooses. Don’t speculate unnecessarily.

If your school is well known for the post UTME, prepare for that and if yours is well known for admission screening only, prepare for it. Better still, prepare for both.

Don’t forget, exercise like this is a system. And the system can change anytime.

Recommended: This Year Admission Starting and Closing Dates by JAMB and Schools

Case Studies

In 2018, Ekiti State University conducted the post-UTME computer-based test for the first batch of applicants for the post-UTME. Then, for the subsequent admission lists, they didn't conduct any tests. In 2019, 2020, and 2021, they used screening only for all batches. Candidates were just offered admission based on O'level and JAMB results.

Adeyemi College of Education also didn't write post-UTME in 2019 and 2021 (which they were used to). They didn't, as well, in 2021. Admission was based on SSCE and UTME results.

Hence, it's safe to advise that you can place your speculation on what your proposed institution used for the last admission year.

Best of luck!

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