The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced 160 and above as the cut-off mark for securing admission into the Nigerian universities for the 2020/2021 academic session.
The Registrar of the Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, announced this on Tuesday as part of the outcome of the 2020 policy meeting on admissions to tertiary institutions which was held virtually.
He disclosed further that, polytechnics cut-off marks is pegged at 120 and above while Colleges of Education’s cut-off mark is 100 and above.
The registrar, while cautioning management of universities not to charge above N2000 for admission screening, he disclosed that 612, 557 candidates were offered admission in 2019.
He explained further that about 510,957 admission spaces were unused by tertiary institutions in 2019, and added that only 1,157,977 candidates had the required five credits with English and Mathematics that sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in 2019.
“Out of 1,157,977 candidates who sat for UTME in 2019, about 612,557 were admitted,” the registrar said.
Prof. Oloyede explained that candidates who are waiting for their SSCE results will only be considered for admission when they are uploaded on its website.
Also speaking at the meeting at the meeting, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, directed JAMB and tertiary institutions to proceed with the conduct of 2020/2021 admissions.
He stated further that admission processes are expected to commence in August based on the guidelines released by JAMB.
The minister who was represented by Emeka Nwajiuba, the Minister of State for Education, urged JAMB and tertiary institutions to consider candidates with previous years Senior School Certificate Examination and other qualifying results, to proceed with the admission process.
He assured that government will make necessary arrangement that will accommodate applicants who will be taking the examination when the opportunity to do so is worked out.
The minister reiterated that “as major stakeholders, we must jointly come up with reactions that would realign our programmes to these new realities,”.
He reiterated further that “while these reactions are being fine-tuned to check their capacities and capabilities to withstand the new reality, JAMB and tertiary institutions could take advantage of the current situation and consider candidates with previous years Senior School Certificate Examination and other qualifying results, to proceed on with the admission process.”
Speaking further, he disclosed that “whatever arrangement that the country comes up with in the long run, will surely accommodate those who will be taking the examination when the opportunity to do so is worked out.”