The board said opening the portal gives institutions access to upload names of shortlisted applicants for the 2020/2021 admissions.

The spokesperson for JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, confirmed this in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

When our correspondent visited the JAMB’s website on Wednesday, the portal had been opened.

He quoted the Registrar of JAMB, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, as saying that admission processes must go through the Central Admission Processing System for approval.

“Of course, long ago. Any institution, not just public that wants to is already uploading,” Oloyede was quoted as saying.

Earlier, JAMB warned the public not to fall prey to fraudsters and rumour mongers.

The board who gave the advice in a weekly bulletin of the Office of the Registrar said that it has yet to begin the sale of the 2021 Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examination forms.

”JAMB reiterates that it has not begun the sale of its 2021 UTME and Direct Entry application forms, neither has it announced a date for the exercise.

”The clarification became necessary following fake news that the board has begun the sale and was urging prospective applicants to procure same from some nebulous selling outlets.

”The public is to note that the news of the purported sale of the registration forms is false and an attempt to mislead the public.”

JAMB explained that the delay in the start of the sale of the application forms was as a result of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic in the country but would conclude arrangements soon.

The Punch