JAMB Releases Admission Rules for 599 Underage Candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) announced on Wednesday the admission criteria for candidates who are underage from the recent Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

In the 2025 UTME, 599 individuals achieved scores of 320 and above but were ineligible for admission because they had not yet turned 16 years old.

While inaugurating the committee responsible for overseeing the admissions process for underage candidates, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede mentioned that the successful candidates from the 599 will be announced by September.

During the inaugural meeting of the committee members in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory, Prof. Oloyede stated, “Their school certificates will be evaluated, which means they need to have a minimum score of 80 percent, and the institutions must provide the scores from the post-UTME by September 16 at the latest.”

He added that any candidate scoring below 80 in the post-UTME would be disqualified.

“We recognize that 16 years is the minimum age for admissions, but we should select a few exceptionally talented individuals to support and encourage them,” he remarked.

Oloyede emphasized that the committee would determine how to identify “specially gifted candidates.”

He stated, “These are the 599 underage candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.”

“The committee will choose the dates, outline the necessary actions, and select the candidates at the conclusion.”

“They will identify exceptional candidates deserving of admission into tertiary institutions as a way of encouraging them.”

The JAMB registrar noted that representatives from various Nigerian universities, regulatory bodies, key stakeholders, and education experts were virtually present during the committee meeting.

He also mentioned that the panel would convene in Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri.

Oloyede urged parents to refrain from the urge to enroll their children in tertiary institutions at such young ages, emphasizing the need for natural development and maturity.

He warned against engaging in corrupt practices for admission, stating that introducing the younger generation to criminal behavior is unacceptable.

The JAMB registrar promised that the admissions process would be conducted transparently and fairly, given the caliber of the committee members.