Social Media Debate Ignites Over Possibility of Scoring 400 in JAMB UTME

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16/02/26 • 15 Просмотры • 0 Поделиться • Опубликовано в Другой

A heated debate has erupted across social media following claims that it is impossible for any candidate to score a perfect 400 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The controversy stems from circulating posts suggesting that JAMB’s normalization process prevents candidates from achieving either a full 400 or a zero, regardless of their raw performance.

According to the claims, JAMB applies a statistical normalization after each examination session, adjusting scores relative to national averages. Some candidates may have near-perfect raw scores, but the ranking-based system allegedly scales scores to maintain standardized distribution, thereby making a total 400 unattainable.

Social media users quickly engaged in the debate. Morris Monye (@Morris_Monye) commented, “I will wager that it’s impossible for even a PhD student to score 400 in JAMB. That’s how they’ve structured it to be,” sparking a flurry of reactions and questions about the transparency of the exam body’s scoring methodology.

Key issues raised in the discussion include:

Normalization Process: Many candidates remain unclear about how JAMB adjusts scores and the statistical parameters involved.
Transparency Concerns: Stakeholders are calling for the disclosure of the mean and standard deviation used in score moderation.
Fairness Debate: Critics argue candidates should receive raw scores without post-exam adjustments.
Immediate Result Release: Some users advocate for Computer-Based Test (CBT) results to be released instantly upon completion.
System Credibility: While critics describe the normalization as flawed, supporters maintain it ensures fairness across multiple exam sessions.

Other social media reactions reflected a mix of curiosity and frustration. Roka (@sage_in_transit) asked, “Do you know the mean and deviation of the normalization used? I’ve been searching for an answer for this.” Lima_Jr. (@akandejames10) argued, “This doesn’t make any sense. Give everybody whatever they get!” Meanwhile, Ndụ Agwụ Agwụ (@Anayochukwu18) called for faster result processing, saying, “Results of CBT exams should be known immediately, less than five minutes after the exam. The result should be emailed automatically.” Another user, YourFriendlyNeighbor (@Kvngofd_andals), dismissed the system as “a broken system.”

Education analysts note that score normalization is a common practice globally, adopted to ensure comparability across different exam sessions and versions. However, they stress that transparency is critical to maintain public confidence, especially in Nigeria, where UTME results determine tertiary education access for millions of candidates each year.

As the online conversation intensifies, stakeholders are urging JAMB to clarify its scoring framework to address misconceptions and restore trust in the examination process. Whether the Board will respond remains to be seen, but the debate underscores the pressing need for transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s national examination system.

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