According to findings by The PUNCH, four Nigerian universities that submitted their admission benchmark scores before the 2024 policy meeting are prohibited by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) from accepting applicants who scored below 200 in the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The UTME, conducted by JAMB, is the sole examination recognized for entry into higher education institutions in Nigeria.
While some universities might still conduct post-UTME screenings for their applicants, no candidate can be admitted without a JAMB-verified result.
The UTME typically involves four subject areas, each scored out of 100 points, totalling a maximum of 400 points.
Although students have the freedom to select their subject combinations based on their chosen field of study, proficiency in English is mandatory for anyone seeking admission into the nation’s higher education system.
It was established in the 2024 policy meeting that a minimum score of 140 is required for university admissions. While JAMB has indicated that universities can set their own benchmark scores, no candidate should be admitted with a score lower than 140.
However, according to a document acquired by The PUNCH, JAMB has specified that institutions must adhere to their self-determined benchmark scores and cannot lower them.
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“No institution can admit below its self-prescribed minimum score,” the board warned.
Dr. Fabian Benjamin, a representative for JAMB, pointed out that although the standard benchmark score for admission is set at 140, universities such as the University of Lagos, which set their own threshold at 200, are required to adhere to their specified score for admissions.
“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.
The PUNCH
