The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is now a household name for students aspiring to enter universities in Nigeria. It plays an important role in the educational landscape of the country, coordinating the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to facilitate the admission process. But many may be surprised to know that JAMB has not always existed. The journey of university admissions in Nigeria has evolved significantly, and the establishment of JAMB in 1978 marked a turning point in how students gain access to higher education.
Before JAMB, the early days of university admissions saw each university in Nigeria had its own system for admitting students. Nigeria’s first university, the University of Ibadan (UI), was founded in 1948. UI, along with other universities that were established later, followed an independent admission system. These universities conducted their own entrance examinations, and students had to apply to each university individually.
This system posed several challenges for prospective students. The process of applying to multiple universities was cumbersome and expensive. There was no unified standard for assessing candidates, and each university’s examination criteria differed, making it difficult for students to know what was expected of them. Moreover, the absence of a centralised system often led to students being admitted into more than one university, while others were left with no options.
As the number of universities grew, so did the need for a more efficient and equitable system. By the late 1970s, it became clear that Nigeria needed a centralised body to coordinate the admission process for all tertiary institutions.
In response to the challenges posed by the decentralised admission system, the Nigerian government established the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in 1978. The primary objective of JAMB was to streamline the university admissions process and ensure fairness and equity for all applicants. With JAMB, students would only need to take one entrance examination to apply to multiple universities, rather than sitting for separate exams at each institution.
JAMB introduced a uniform examination— the University Matriculation Examination (UME), now known as the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This move significantly reduced the stress and financial burden on students. It also helped address issues of fairness, as all candidates would now be assessed based on the same criteria, regardless of the university they were applying to. Another major benefit of JAMB’s introduction was the reduction of duplicate admissions. With the establishment of JAMB, universities could no longer admit students independently, and students could not hold multiple offers of admission. This ensured that admission spaces were more efficiently allocated and that fewer students were left without a place in any institution.
Since its establishment, JAMB has evolved to meet the changing needs of Nigeria’s educational system. Initially, JAMB was responsible only for coordinating admissions to Nigeria’s universities. However, in 1989, the Federal Government expanded JAMB’s scope to include admissions into polytechnics and colleges of education. This marked a significant expansion in JAMB’s role, as it now became the central body for all tertiary institution admissions in the country.
Over the years, JAMB has also made significant strides in improving the efficiency and transparency of the admissions process. One of the most notable changes occurred in 2015 when JAMB introduced the Computer-Based Test (CBT) system for the UTME. This replaced the paper-based tests that had been used since JAMB’s inception. The move to CBT was intended to address issues of exam malpractice and ensure a more efficient examination process. The use of technology has also allowed JAMB to provide real-time feedback to candidates, with results typically being released within a few days of the examination.
JAMB has also introduced a central admissions process known as the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS). CAPS allows for greater transparency in the admissions process, as it enables students to monitor the progress of their admission status online. This system has also helped to further reduce issues of duplicate admissions, as it ensures that a student can only accept one offer of admission.
Today, JAMB plays an indispensable role in Nigeria’s tertiary education system. Each year, millions of students take the UTME in the hopes of securing admission into one of the country’s universities, polytechnics, or colleges of education. JAMB’s role in coordinating the admissions process has brought a level of standardisation and fairness that was lacking in the days before its establishment. JAMB’s impact extends beyond the UTME, however. The board also sets the cut-off marks for admission into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. This ensures that there is a minimum academic standard for students seeking admission, while also allowing individual institutions the flexibility to set higher cut-off marks if they choose.
In recent years, JAMB has also introduced new measures to address the issue of “admission racketeering,” a practice where students pay large sums of money to secure admission into institutions. Through the use of technology, including biometric data capture and online registration systems, JAMB has worked to reduce the opportunities for corruption in the admissions process.
Despite its many successes, JAMB has faced criticism and challenges over the years. One of the most persistent issues has been the perceived high level of difficulty of the UTME, with some students and parents arguing that the examination is too challenging. Others have criticised JAMB for setting cut-off marks that they believe are too low, which some argue dilutes the academic standard of Nigeria’s universities.
Another challenge has been the issue of exam malpractice. While JAMB has made significant strides in reducing malpractice through the introduction of CBT and biometric registration, it remains a persistent issue in some areas. JAMB continues to work with stakeholders, including security agencies, to address this problem. Finally, some have raised concerns about the increasing cost of the UTME and the associated costs of applying for admission through JAMB. While the introduction of online registration and CAPS has reduced some of the logistical costs, many students still face significant financial barriers to accessing higher education in Nigeria.
As JAMB continues to evolve, there are several potential developments on the horizon. One area of focus for JAMB is improving access to tertiary education for disadvantaged students. This includes working with universities and other institutions to ensure that students from rural areas and underprivileged backgrounds have a fair chance of securing admission. JAMB is also exploring ways to further leverage technology to improve the admissions process. Additionally, JAMB is working to ensure that its systems are accessible to students with disabilities, with plans to introduce more inclusive testing environments.
While JAMB may now be an integral part of the Nigerian educational system, it hasn’t always existed. Its creation in 1978 was a response to the challenges posed by the decentralised admission system that existed before, and it has since played a vital role in streamlining and standardising the admissions process. While it has faced criticism and challenges, JAMB has continued to evolve to meet the needs of Nigeria’s growing educational system. JAMB’s impact on Nigeria’s educational landscape is undeniable, and its role will likely remain critical for years to come.
