Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said, yesterday, that high Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) does not guarantee admission into any university.
Oloyede said only a combination of JAMB cut-off marks, post-UTME, O’ level results and other admission criteria, as determined by institutions, can ensure candidates’ admission.
The registrar disclosed this at an intensive Training and Sensitisation Forum on Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) for the 2017/2018 academic session in Abuja.
Oloyede said scoring higher than the minimum cut-off marks does not guarantee admission but makes candidates eligible for admission consideration.
He added that institutions determine the institutional, programme and course cut-off marks and other admission criteria, in exercise of their autonomy.
According to him, the cut-off mark by JAMB is only a threshold, below which no institution can admit candidates.
“JAMB is not an examination body, rather, it is a ranking body. If there are enough spaces in tertiary institutions, there may not be need for UTME.
“ JAMB is a screening body; to rank already qualified candidates. It is a coordinating and clearing house.
“The cut-off mark is not a pass or fail mark. It is not the total score but one of many factors such as post-UTME (where applicable), O’ Level results scoring, e.t.c.,” he explained.
He added that regulating agencies, such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), among others, could decide the admission quota for institutions and further explained that JAMB introduced CAPS so as to ensure that every UTME candidate gets fair treatment.
Oloyede said with CAPS, candidates now have the choice to either accept or reject admission offer.
He, however, advised candidates to ensure that they indicate the acceptance or rejection of admission online and on time, to enable processing of onward admission.
The JAMB helmsman urged higher institutions to comply with advertised criteria for admission, including cut-off marks.
Oloyede also said Nigeria operates the same system of admission procedure with other countries such as China, Iran, Republic of Georgia, Spain and Turkey.
On August 22, 2017, JAMB, at a policy meeting with institutions, decided to peg the 2017/2018 UTME cut-off marks for degree awarding institutions at 120.
The meeting also pegged at 100, cut-off marks for admissions for National Diploma (ND) and Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE), among others.