The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Thursday carried out its largest-ever computer-based promotion examination for senior civil servants, with 6,000 directorate-level officers of the Federal Civil Service Commission participating across multiple centres.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, told journalists in Abuja that the exam was not limited to candidates inside the country. He confirmed that officials in the United Kingdom, United States, India and Egypt also took part simultaneously.
According to him, the decision by the Federal Civil Service Commission to move its promotion assessment to a full CBT model signals a major shift in government examination standards.
“This is a bold step that shows readiness to embrace transparency and technology,” he said.
Oloyede noted that the system was designed to be simple enough for anyone who uses a phone regularly.
“Once you can operate a smartphone, you can write this exam comfortably,” he added.
He explained that the smooth international participation proved JAMB’s ability to deploy credible assessment technology across different locations, saying it would also help reduce the fear many civil servants still have about computer-based testing.
The registrar said several candidates who arrived anxious later became relaxed after stepping into the hall.
“They saw that the process was straightforward and nothing to worry about,” he said.
Commissioner representing the FCT and Niger at the Federal Civil Service Commission, Dr. Hussaini Adamu, also expressed satisfaction with the exercise. He revealed that the first batch of 1,500 officers started on Wednesday across three sessions.
“The process has been smooth from start to finish,” he said.
Adamu added that many civil servants who initially preferred pen-and-paper now openly favoured the CBT method, describing it as more transparent and better organised. He confirmed that centres were fitted with CCTV cameras, stable systems and adequate supervision.
He praised JAMB’s expertise, saying the board maintained a high standard throughout the exercise.
“This shows they have mastered CBT administration at a national scale,” he stated.
Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Adetunji Olaopa, said this was the first time the commission would use computer-based testing for its promotion examinations.
“This marks a major step in modernising the civil service assessment system,” he said.
Olaopa explained that the commission deliberately started with a controlled number before scaling it nationwide, adding that the lessons from this phase would guide future rounds.
Not fewer than ten centres across the Federal Capital Territory were used for the examination.
