As candidates prepare for the upcoming 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), some students have raised concerns over the limitations of the JAMB-provided calculator on the Computer-Based Test (CBT) platform.
A candidate, Umar Faruq Wada, has appealed directly to JAMB to improve the calculator, describing it as incomplete and a major challenge during practice and mock sessions.
Key Areas Missing in JAMB Calculator
According to Umar, the calculator currently available during the exams lacks important functions needed to solve many Mathematics and Physics questions properly.
“Please, it’s the exam calculator. It gives us headache when using it because many things are not included,” Umar said.
“Even square root, angles for sin, cos, and tan, and sometimes logarithm are missing. We are forced to cram values we should be able to calculate.”
He added that candidates often struggle unnecessarily during the exam because they are unable to perform basic operations needed to solve problems, making some questions more difficult than they should be.
Candidates Urge JAMB to Act
Candidates are pleading with JAMB to consider upgrading the calculator features before the main UTME begins on April 25, 2025.
They suggest that adding simple scientific calculator functions like:
- Square roots
- Trigonometric functions (Sin, Cos, Tan)
- Logarithms
would go a long way in making the exam fairer and less stressful for candidates, especially those sitting for science and technical subjects.
Past Complaints About JAMB’s Calculator
This is not the first time candidates have raised complaints about the limitations of the calculator provided during the UTME.
In previous years, many students preparing for subjects like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and even Economics noted similar struggles.
JAMB has consistently maintained strict rules about calculator usage to prevent malpractice, but candidates argue that a more complete built-in calculator would still protect exam integrity while giving students a fair chance to succeed.
What Happens Next?
It remains to be seen if JAMB will respond to these fresh appeals before the 2025 UTME kicks off. Candidates across Nigeria are hoping the board listens and makes improvements that will help them perform better without unnecessary hurdles.
Have you experienced difficulties using JAMB’s exam calculator during mock or practice? Share your thoughts below. Stay connected for more JAMB 2025 updates and advice.
Yes of course i had experienced difficulties using Jamb calculator during the mock exam that’s why i even raised the problem,because I skipped 12 question that demands the the use of scientific calculator both from physics and chemistry,I just guessed
I also have problems with the calculator. If the functions listed could be added, I think that would go a long way. I had to memorise log 1-10, but what if I’m faced with numbers greater than that?
I really hope this is put into consideration and done.