As the 2025 UTME draws near, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has made a clear announcement regarding arrival time and biometric verification for candidates scheduled for the morning session.
In a post shared via the official JAMB X (formerly Twitter) account on April 22, 2024, the board addressed complaints from candidates who missed their exams due to late arrival. The board reminded the public that 7:00 a.m. is not the exam start time, but the official arrival time for candidates.
“Did you not write exam? 7:00 am is scheduled arrival time, not scheduled start time. You’ll get biometrically verified by 7:25 am.” – @JAMBHQ
This clarification is especially important for 2025 candidates who may be confused about when to show up at the exam centre.
What This Means for 2025 UTME Candidates
If your exam slip shows 7:00 a.m., it means you are expected to be at the centre and ready by that time—not leaving home or arriving late. JAMB uses the time between 7:00 a.m. and 7:25 a.m. to verify candidates through biometric fingerprint scanning and prepare them for the session.
Once biometric verification is completed, no other candidate will be allowed to enter, no matter the excuse.
This is why candidates are strongly advised to:
- Arrive at the exam centre by 6:00 a.m. or earlier
- Avoid travelling on the same morning of the exam if the centre is far
- Stay close to the centre the night before if necessary
- Avoid relying on “grace time” — JAMB no longer allows flexibility once the gates close
Why It Matters
Every year, many candidates lose their chance to write the UTME simply because they arrived a few minutes late. In some cases, candidates who reached the centre by 7:30 a.m. were denied entry, despite having valid slips and genuine reasons like traffic or rain. But as JAMB has made clear, lateness is not excusable, and no rescheduling will be done for candidates who fail to meet the biometric window.
Final Advice for JAMB 2025 Morning Candidates
If your UTME is scheduled for the morning session:
- Be at your centre before 7:00 a.m.
- Don’t just plan to “arrive on time” — plan to arrive early
- Know the route to your centre ahead of time
- Prepare all materials the night before
Let no effort go to waste because of avoidable lateness.