Following the announcement of its plans to begin sale of forms for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that there will be a mock examination before the conduct of the 2017 UTME, Premium Times reports.

However, according to the board, the mock examination is completely optional.

A statement released by the Registrar of JAMB, Ishaq Oloyede, on Monday, noted that the mock examination would be held in all accredited Computer Based Test (CBT) centres to prepare and familiarise interested candidates with the CBT environment.

It added that the mock examination will take place on April 8, 2017.

Interested candidates are advised to indicate their interest in the mock examination during the registration process.

Apart from the registration fee for UTME 2017 which is N5, 500, the statement said The CBT Centres are allowed to collect through their (CBT Centres) bank accounts, a separate ₦700 only, for the mock test after noti�cation of centre has been received by the candidate.

“Payment for mock examination shall be made to the centres to which the candidate is assigned after the notiï¬?cation of assigned centres for the mock examination,” the statement said.

“No Association or body is permitted to run any mock examination on behalf of JAMB,” the Statement said.

The statement warned candidates not to pay for the mock until a CBT centre is assigned to them by the Board.

The sale of the UTME 2017 forms will close on April 19, while the examination is slated to hold between May 6 and 20.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) first introduced the computer-based test (CBT) method of writing its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in 2013, and conducted the examination in 2013 and 2014 using three modes, namely, dual-based test, paper pencil test and CBT.

In 2015, the board went full scale CBT, which has continued up until now.

However, the introduction of CBT came with several challenges like power failure, poor internet connectivity, late start, inadequate computer sets, among others.

There have been several calls on JAMB to revert to paper and pencil test, but many Nigerians are also in support of the CBT, and want its processes improved upon.