APPRAISING TECHNICAL HITCHES IN CBT EXAMINATIONS: INSIGHTS FROM THE UTME

Abstract

The change from paper-and-pencil tests (PPT) to computer-based tests (CBT) was implemented to reduce costs, improve objectivity, increase speed and enhance security during large-scale examination administration. In Nigeria, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) adopted CBT for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to reduce examination malpractice, standardize scoring and accelerate result release. Despite these intended improvements, the administration of the UTME CBT has been disrupted most of the time by technical hitches, including power failures, server and network outages, biometric verification failures, software glitches, and hardware malfunctions. These recurring limitations have raised serious concerns about the feasibility of conducting reliable and valid examinations, most notably during the 2025 UTME crisis. This paper presents a systematic review of literature on the nature, causes, and consequences of technical hitches in CBT examinations, using the UTME as a case study. Studies published between 2018 and 2026 were properly analyzed; the review identified a lack of recent infrastructure, unreliable electricity supply, lagging administrative management and software failure as causes of technical hitches in UTME. It also examined the psychological well-being of candidates, their access to information and communication technologies (ICT), and how these factors affect their scores. Low digital literacy among candidates and insufficient system testing before examination day are also crucial issues that need to be resolved. The paper concludes by recommending infrastructural upgrades, mandatory pre-examination system audits, and structured stakeholder training as necessary conditions for providing effective throughput.