JAMB Denies Setting Cut-Off Marks For University, Polytechnic Admissions

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has denied setting the cut-off marks for admissions into universities and polytechnics in the country.

This is coming days after the Registrar of JAMB, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, announced that the board approved a new cut-off mark of 140 and 120 for universities and polytechnics, respectively.

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But JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, told THE WHISTLER at the weekend that the board only approved a minimum admittable score into the tertiary institutions.

Our correspondent had contacted Benjamin to get clarification on why the board decided to lower its cut-off mark from 160 in 2019 and 2020 to 140 in 2022, to which he responded that there is nothing like cut-off mark.

“We didn’t reduce anything and there is nothing like a cut-off point. It’s the creation of the media. We have a minimum admittable score.

“When you have more than 80% of the universities and other institutions having 200 and above as their minimum admittable score why would one say it’s reduced?” he quizzed.

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The board’s spokesman added that many people have made comments and twisted the facts of the matter.

“So many people commenting on things they don’t have an idea on and are not ready to ask questions”, he said.

When THE WHISTLER spoke to the UniAbuja PRO, Habib Yakoob, to get his view on the new cut-off mark, he said that the University was yet to meet and decide whether or not to implement it.

“Our own cut-off mark before now was 180, so we would have to meet and decide what to do”, he said.

In 2021, JAMB announced that it had canceled general cut-off marks for admission into tertiary institutions and gave schools the freedom to set their individual minimum benchmarks for admission.

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The board, in 2020, set the minimum cut-off mark at 160 and above for admission into universities, 120 for polytechnics, and 100 for colleges of education.

“Institutions have now been given the liberty to decide cut-off marks; there will be no cut-off marks [stipulation] from JAMB,” JAMB had announced.

In 2019, JAMB had also pegged the cut-off marks at 160 for universities, while that of polytechnics was pegged at 120.

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