Why UNILAG and OAU can’t go below 200 admission cut-off mark — JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has prohibited four Nigerian universities from admitting candidates who scored less than 200 in the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The UTME, which is conducted by JAMB, is the only acceptable examination for individuals seeking admission to Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Though certain tertiary institutions may still conduct post-UTME exams for candidates who apply, no one can be admitted unless their results are verified by JAMB.

The UTME is normally structured on four subject combinations, with each subject marked over 100, for a total of 400 marks.

Though students are free to choose their subject combinations based on their chosen course of study, the use of English is required for all students seeking admission to the country’s tertiary education system.

Recall that the 2024 policy meeting established 140 as the minimum benchmark score for university admissions. Though JAMB stated that each university is free to set its own benchmark score, no candidate can be admitted with less than 140 marks.

However, in a document obtained by the media, JAMB stated that institutions are not permitted to go below the set benchmark score.

“No institution can admit below its self-prescribed minimum score,” the board warned.

In a list of prescribed minimum scores, it was observed that a total of 153 universities submitted their prescribed minimum scores for admissions out of which eight universities recommended 120 as a benchmark for admission. However, according to the board’s guidelines, they cannot admit students until their minimum score hits 140.

Further investigation revealed that 11 institutions, including Pan-Atlantic University, which set 220 as the minimum benchmark score, will not admit anyone below 220; Covenant University, 200; Obafemi Awolowo University, 200; and the University of Lagos, 200, will not accept the 140 recommended benchmark by the policy meeting.

Others like Afe Babalola University, 180; Ahmadu Bello University, 180; Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, 180; Lagos State University of Science and Technology, 180; Nigerian Police Academy, 180; Nigerian University of Technology, 180 and the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila-Orangun, 180 will also not admit students below 180 owing to the directive by JAMB.

There have been controversies over the announcement of the minimum benchmark score.

Speaking with our correspondent on Monday, JAMB’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, noted that while the general benchmark score for admission stands at 140, institutions, like the University of Lagos, which submitted 200, cannot admit below the submitted score.

“Unilag isn’t even allowed to admit 199. They can’t admit lesser than 200 because that is what they submitted. The general benchmark is 140, which means no university can admit below that score; they can’t admit 120, 130. Also, you can’t admit below what you submitted as your benchmark. So Unilag can’t even admit 199,” Benjamin said.