Does JAMB repeat past questions? (The truth)

JAMB past questions is a subtle way of preparing for JAMB examinations because if luck shines on you, you can memorize as many past questions as possible, and it may appear that way on your screen. How true is that?

How does JAMB repeat past questions? How many questions do they repeat in general? Will studying past questions give me a better chance of passing my JAMB exam? These questions and more are answered in this article.

Does JAMB repeat past questions?

Yes, JAMB Repeats about 25% of Past Questions in every year’s UTME examination.

The truth is, JAMB doesn’t have many options in the area of setting past questions, as new questions cannot be manufactured every year, hence they repeat some past questions.

However, when we say JAMB repeats past questions, we do not mean that the old questions are copied and pasted word for word. Though it happens very rarely, that would be too easy.

JAMB repeating questions simply means, they set very similar questions by probably changing the values (for subjects that deal with calculation) or paraphrasing the questions.

For instance, consider these two questions:

As you can see, there isn’t much of a difference between the past question and the repeated question set by JAMB.

Here is another example that involves simply changing the figures:

How does JAMB set questions

From time immemorial, JAMB examination questions have been constructed as multiple-choice questions, which means, you are to choose one of the four options made available for you. 

Every JAMB candidate is expected to answer 180 questions in total, spread across four (4) subjects, which were chosen by the candidate based on his preferred area of study.

Notwithstanding the way the questions are structured, they can be hard or simple, depending on a candidate’s strength in academics.

Another thought that will pop up in your head is ‘What is the frequency of repetition of past questions?’

How do I know which questions will be repeated?

There is no specific way of knowing which questions JAMB will repeat. Even if JAMB repeats past questions, it won’t be a case of “copy and paste”, rather there will be paraphrasing (rephrasing text or speech into different words, without changing its meaning)

In JAMB’s context, it will be changing certain keywords in a question with their synonyms or changing the approach to it.

In the case of calculations, figures can be replaced, and ultimately, the answer will be changed as well. Look at the examples we gave above.

That’s why it’s an exam, so it is very possible to pass JAMB by studying, but relying only on past questions might not be very successful, especially if syllables are changed.

Where does JAMB get their questions from?

JAMB set their questions from various sources, and it depends on the subject.

For the Use of English, JAMB gets their comprehension passages from newspaper publications, and articles from different industries, while questions from other subjects can be gotten from any government-approved textbooks from credible authors.

How to study JAMB past questions

Studying JAMB past questions is recommended to incorporate into your study plan. However, there should be a guide to aid your efforts. They include:

• Familiarizing with JAMB syllabus for the subject you intend to study its past question. JAMB syllabus is a document that contains all the topics on which JAMB will set questions, on different subjects.
• Have the required textbook needed for the subject in focus.
• Study at least 6 years of past questions.
• Check answers after making attempts, to monitor your progress and correct mistakes.

How many questions does JAMB set?

As at 2024, JAMB set 180 questions, with 60 from Use of English and the remaining 120 questions for the three other subjects chosen by the aspirant. More details here.

JAMB questions face every individual who aspires to attend a Nigerian tertiary institution, and it’s a hurdle that has kept many students out of school every year.

It is possible to studied and memorize JAMB past questions, however, this has shown a low success rate. The need to study past questions should never surpass the desire to understand JAMB’s patter of setting questions.

Studying past questions can be very helpful, whether or not JAMB repeats past question, we recommend you add that to your study plan along with these tips that will help you score high in JAMB.