A total of 12, 904 candidates are jostling for 2,260 slots in the 2015 post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) screening of the Kaduna State University (KASU).

The University’s Director of Academic Planning, Dr. Maharazu Kubau, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Thursday.

Kubau, explained that the figure represented only those who scored 180 points and above in the UTME and selected KASU as their first choice.

He said the number of candidates who had applied for admission into the university was much higher, but that only those who met this year’s Joint Admission’s Matriculation Board (JAMB) cut-off point, were invited.

He said that the university would have admitted only 1,860, but the National Universities Commission (NUC) had recently increased the university’s carrying capacity to 2,260.

The director added that the examination, which started Wednesday, would last for six days, with about 2,000 candidates sitting for the examination on daily.

“The examination holds in five sessions daily, with 400 candidates per session, making a total of 2000 daily. Therefore, we would finish the examination within six days.”

He said that the institution had liaised with the police and the civil defense corps to make adequate security arrangement.

“Only candidates who had their JAMB slips and the university’s acceptance slip were allowed into the premises and thereafter, thoroughly searched and screened before entering the examination hall.

Mrs. Mary Ojeh, of the Department of Inspection and Monitoring, NUC, who was at the institution to monitor the exercise, commended KASU for a well organised examination.

Ojeh told NAN that she observed that the examination was smooth and free from malpractices.

She equally commended the management of the institution for making adequate security arrangement.

Some of the students, who spoke to NAN, also commended KASU for adopting computer-based test for the examination.

According to them, the computer-based test is more efficient compared with the pen, pencil and paper method.

Simnom Kachiro, who will be writing the Post-UTME for the fourth time, said the computer-based test was a lot easier and interesting than the paper-based test that “puts candidates on a lot of tension.”

Another student, Amos Gabriel, said he preferred computer-based test for its efficiency and reliability. (NAN)

•Photo shows Gov. El-Rufai