JAMB has explained why some candidates with high scores don’t gain admission. They have also warned parents and candidates to stop misinforming the public.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is once again compelled to refute a series of baseless allegations made by candidates and their parents, accusing the board and universities of denying admission despite what they consider high scores in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
A recent case involved a parent who publicly accused the University of Calabar of unjustly denying his child a “rightful admission.” The parent, Mr. Godwin Nsan, protested to JAMB in writing but initially refused to provide the details necessary for JAMB to investigate. After extensive pleas, he eventually submitted the required information. It was then discovered that his child, who scored 201 in the UTME with an aggregate score of 34%, fell below the required thresholds of 55% for Merit, 35% for Catchment, and 35% for Educationally Less Developed States (ELDS) categories. This discovery debunked the false claims against the university.
To reduce such misunderstandings, JAMB has implemented a robust communication system—the Ticketing Platform—where candidates and their guardians can seek clarification before making public accusations. As a regulatory body, JAMB remains committed to ensuring fairness and transparency in the admission process through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), which ranks candidates objectively based on their performance.
In another instance, a senior public figure alleged that Modibbo Adama University, Yola, sidelined certain candidates in its admission process. JAMB promptly investigated the claims and found them baseless. The findings were communicated to the individual, clarifying that there was no evidence of discrimination. Additionally, JAMB shared its findings with the relevant universities to promote adherence to admission guidelines while cautioning institutions not to disclose such confidential information to the media.
Students with ‘high’high score’ denied admission
In yet another case, a parent claimed that his son, who scored 345, was unjustly denied admission to the University of Jos.
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JAMB clarified the admission process on a radio program and invited the parent and candidate to its National Headquarters.
There, they were shown the admission ranking, which revealed that the candidate was ranked 86th, while only 68 candidates could be admitted on merit.
This explanation helped the parent understand the reality of the competitive process, and he left satisfied after apologizing.
JAMB emphasized that in some universities, even a high score like 345 might rank a candidate as low as 300, depending on the institution’s subscription capacity.
Misuse of the “Exceptionally Brilliant Window”
In light of these circumstances, JAMB advises parents to avoid being swayed by subjective perceptions of their children’s brilliance.
It is crucial to consider the overall performance of all candidates in order to avoid feelings of frustration and disappointment.
This is particularly important given the recent misuse of the “Exceptionally Brilliant Window” introduced for the 2025 UTME, which allows candidates younger than 16 to sit the exam if they meet specific outstanding performance criteria.
Surprisingly, an unusually large number of candidates registered through this provision, a phenomenon rarely seen globally, where only a small number typically qualify.
JAMB urges parents to avoid exaggerating their children’s abilities and to acknowledge that there are many brilliant candidates competing for limited spaces.
The board remains committed to protecting the rights of all candidates by ensuring fairness through transparent ranking. JAMB will continue to investigate any allegations of unfair treatment and take appropriate action where necessary.
University Staff Prosecuted
Currently, a senior university staff member is being prosecuted for admission-related crimes, with four others under investigation.
JAMB will not tolerate admission infractions and will take necessary action to ensure the integrity of the process.
Parents are strongly advised to refrain from jumping to conclusions and to trust the system designed to ensure fairness for all candidates.
The UTME remains a ranking examination, and candidates are admitted based on their overall performance and available spaces in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
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