The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has set the minimum admission cut-off marks for tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The cut-off mark for universities has been set at 140, while polytechnics and Colleges of Education will admit students with a minimum score of 100.
During the 2023 policy meeting on admission to tertiary institutions in Nigeria, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, the Registrar of JAMB, revealed these guidelines.
The stakeholders present at the meeting agreed upon a National Tolerable Minimum UTME Score (NTMUS) of 140 for universities and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education.
Oloyede emphasised that all tertiary institutions had previously submitted their proposed cut-off marks to the Board. It is crucial that no institution deviates from the cut-off mark they had initially proposed.
Strict adherence to this rule is mandatory, and no institution is permitted to set a lower cut-off mark than what has been approved.
Oloyede also stressed that each tertiary institution must maintain its own minimum standard, particularly regarding institutional screening and grading in the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE). The minimum standard should not be below 50 marks.
“It is essential for all institutions to adhere to this minimum requirement. No institution can fall below this standard. Even the 15 private universities that requested a minimum of 120 to 130 points must comply with the sacrosanct score of 140. The system will not accept 139 points, so strict compliance is necessary,” stated Oloyede.
Oloyede emphasised that institutions are prohibited from charging candidates more than N2,000 as screening fees.
