JAMB Cancels UTME Cut-Off Marks

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Tuesday cancelled the general cut-off marks for admission into tertiary institutions across the country.

This decision, which was reached at a virtual meeting presided over by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, permits institutions of higher learning to set their own cut-off marks for admission.

The Registrar of the board, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, who was recently reappointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, disclosed during the meeting that the University of Maiduguri proposed 150, Usman Dan Fodio University Sokoto proposed 140, Pan Atlantic University proposed 210, University of Lagos, 200; Lagos State University, 190; Covenant University, 190 and Bayero University Kano wanted 180 as its cut off mark.

Tuesday, October 29, 2021, was also approved as the deadline for the closure of amendments for 2021 admissions.

The stakeholders speaking on the deadline for the 2021 admissions resolved to allow the ministry to decide as they could not agree on the December 31, 2021, deadline for all public institutions and January 31st 2022 for all private institutions.

Stakeholders also adopted the 2021 admission guidelines, which provide that all applications for part-time or full-time programmes for degrees, NCE, OND, and others must be posted only through JAMB.

The Registrar for Jamb who disclosed other criteria for admission said, the candidate’s credentials must be uploaded on CAPS and recommended by the institution while JAMB approves and the candidate accepts the offer of admission.

He said when candidates have not accepted an offer, the institution can change the candidate after informing JAMB.

Also approved at the meeting were the guidelines that every institution is at liberty to admit candidates based on its minimum score approved by the institution and the policy meeting.

Oloyede further disclosed that for 2021/2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, the board is introducing two new subjects: computer studies and physical and health education, bringing to a total of 25 subjects.

The stakeholders also exempted prison inmates, visually impaired and foreign candidates from sitting for post UTME exercise.

Adamu who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, said: “It is saddening that despite the clear directives at previous policy meetings some institutions still illegally admitted candidates outside CAPS.

“I consider such an act as a direct affront on the system and appropriate sanctions shall be applied on those f