• 150 approved as cut-off mark for varsities, 100 for poly, COE for 2025; sets up examination malpractice unit
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and stakeholders, notably, vice chancellors, rectors and provosts, have endorsed new guidelines for the admission process in the new academic year, 2025/2026.
The suggestions and endorsement took place at the 2025 Policy Meeting on Admissions into Tertiary Institutions and 5th edition of the National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Award (NATAP-M) in Abuja, yesterday.
The stakeholders set the cut-off mark for admission into universities at 150 while that of the Polytechnics and Colleges of Education were set at 100 and 140 points for Colleges of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Chairman of the event and Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, endorsed the decisions of the VCs, rectors and provost, even though he was uncomfortable with the score, which he said was low when compared to the level of investments being made in the education sector.
The Minister and JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said they had wanted 160 as minimum score for university, and perhaps, 120 or above for Polytechnic and Colleges of Education but their choice was overruled by the large voices of stakeholders.
The Minister, however, reminded the stakeholders and Nigerians that the decision was not JAMB’s but the VCs, Rectors, Provosts, and other relevant individuals, hence, nobody should query JAMB for the decision on cut-off point.
Prof. Oloyede restated that the institutions are at liberty to choose higher score as submitted to JAMB before the Policy Meeting for their admissions for whatever reasons, but decision on cut-off at the Policy Meeting implies that they are not allowed to admit a candidate with score below the agreed score, at the 2025 Policy Meeting.
“No institution is allowed to conduct admission outside the approved Central Admission Processing System (CAPS). Doing so will attract severe sanctions from JAMB as directed by the Minister of Education.”
Similarly, the stakeholders officially endorsed 16 as the approved entry age into the university, as against the 18-year that was agreed last year, and was supposed to take effect this year.
He directed institutions to abide by the new decision, stating that any violation will be met with severe sanctions.
He also stated that the integration of National Identification Number (NIN) has come to stay, stressing that it will help to control age falsification as well as impersonation.
He warned institutions against engaging in admission outside the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS), stating that such admissions will be regarded as illegal.
Meanwhile, an Anambra state candidate, Christian Chinedu Okeke with 375, has emerged as the best candidate in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Ayuba Simon-Peter John from Gombe State with 374 emerged first runner-up, while about five candidates led by Jimoh Abdulmalik Olayinka with 373 from Kwara state emerged second runner-up.
JAMB Registrar, however, alleged that the best candidate has an admission related challenge that might affect his academic and career journey.
He said that in the cause of final checks before the final decision on the best candidate, it was discovered that the best candidate, Christian Chinedu Okeke, was already a student studying medicine in the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka.
“I contacted the Vice-Chancellor, and he stated that the student was in the Faculty of Medicine but was recently expelled because of poor academic performance. I asked the VC to put the response in writing. But surprisingly, the VC failed to add all he said in the letter in response to my request as previously discussed on the phone.
“However, we have contacted the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and other relevant agencies about the development, and we asked that the student should not be indexed for any reason,” he said.
Speaking on the development, JAMB Public Communications Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin said the board suspected foul play.
“The law does not allow a student to matriculate twice, and as an undergraduate, he has advantage over the other candidates in the examinations.
“In his records, he claimed he is from the South-East while the other record is reading that he is from Lagos state
“We are suspecting that he is a mercenary in the examination,” Benjamin said.
