Just 1.16% of Underage UTME Candidates Display Exceptional Talent — JAMB Discloses
According to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, just 467, or 1.16 percent, of the 40,247 minor applicants who took the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) received a score high enough to be placed in the exceptional ability category.
According to PUNCH Online, this is one of 1,955,069 processed results for the year.
The examination body revealed Monday that while the juvenile candidates were allowed to demonstrate their academic abilities, “their performance in the subsequent three stages is still pending” in a post on X (formerly Twitter) under its official handle @JAMBHQ, suggesting that the assessment process for these exceptional applicants is far from finished.
Absenteeism and misconduct
The unsettling instances of misconduct and absence that marked the 2025 UTME were also clarified by the board.
In all, 97 candidates engaged in examination violations, according to JAMB, while 2,157 more are presently being investigated for possible malpractices.
The high percentage of kids who did not show up for the test at all is also cause for concern.
The board acknowledged that “71,701 candidates were absent,” but it could not provide an immediate explanation for why they did not show up.
A persistent issue in recent years, biometric verification difficulties, was also addressed by JAMB.
It declared, “Candidates who have biometric issues are being investigated, and those who pass will be rescheduled for testing at specified locations.”
Additionally, for some categories, some results are still unavailable while processing is ongoing.
The statement went on to say, “Some of the results, including those of blind candidates and others in the JEOG group, are still being processed.”
The announcement states that additional information will be provided at a press conference, where each candidate’s results will be revealed and their access to result-checking websites will be made available.
In February, JAMB Registrar Prof. Ishaq Oloyede said that “exceptional” pupils under 16 might apply for the UTME since the board had created an Exceptionally Brilliant Window for them.
UTME results for 2025: a statistical analysis
However, a statistical analysis of the 2025 UTME results shows that only 0.63% of the candidates received scores of 300 or above, with the bulk receiving scores below 200.
Based on information made public by JAMB, among the 1,955,069 applicants who took the test:
Just 4,756 applicants (0.24%) achieved a score of 320 or above, which is regarded as a top-tier achievement.
12,414 candidates (0.63%) received a score of 300 or higher, with 7,658 candidates (0.39%) scoring between 300 and 319.
In the range that is more competitive:
73,441 applicants (3.76%) received scores in the 250–299 range.
334,560 applicants (17.11%) received scores in the 200–249 range.
The mid-to-low range contains the center of the outcome distribution:
983,187 applicants (50.29%) received scores in the 160–199 range, which is generally seen as the minimal requirement for admission to many universities.
Between 140 and 159, 488,197 candidates (24.97%) received a score.
57,419 applicants (2.94%) received scores in the 120–139 range.
3,820 applicants (0.20%) had scores ranging from 100 to 119.
2,031 applicants (0.10%) received a score lower than 100.
Important Takeaways:
Moreover, over 75% of applicants received scores below 200, which is the standard for many prestigious programs and colleges.
Just 0.63% of them achieved a score of 300 or higher, which puts them in the elite performance category.
Over 50% of test takers, the largest group, were grouped in the 160–199 range, indicating a tendency toward average performance.
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