The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has called on all prospective candidates for its 2020 UTME to acquire the National Identification Number.

The board’s Spokesman, Dr Fabian Benjamin said on Tuesday that the aim was to ensure the biometric and other necessary details of a candidate were captured, to check examination malpractice.

Benjamin said in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos State that the call was necessary now that registration for the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination had begun.

“The JAMB will, during the 2020 registration exercise, use the National Identity Number generated after successful registration with the National Identity Management Commission.

“This includes the capturing of biometric and other necessary details for the registration of all prospective candidates.

“Candidates are enjoined to register as the board will no longer be responsible for the capturing of candidates’ biometrics ahead of the examination, as all information required will be uploaded from the data captured by the NIMC.

“Henceforth, the NIN will be compulsory for the UTME registration,” Benjamin said.

According to Benjamin, the board has made an adequate arrangement with the NIMC for prospective candidates to be registered at the examination centres or with its licensed agents.

He said that for such candidates who had registered and had acquired the NIN before attaining the age of 16, they would be required to update their NIN registration status before registering for the UTME.

“In case a candidate lost or misplaced his NIN, the candidate can retrieve it by either going to the NIMC office; its licensed agent or dial *346# (USSD code on the SIM card number earlier used to register for the NIN).

“Candidate’s name as stated on the NIMC database will be the same as the one on JAMB’s data registration form,” he said.