In a significant move aimed at standardising admission processes across Nigerian tertiary institutions, a unified minimum benchmark of 150 has been established for university admissions in 2025. This decision, reached during the 2025 policy meeting organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Tuesday, means that no university will be permitted to admit candidates who scored below this threshold in the upcoming Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The new directive seeks to bring a level of uniformity to the highly competitive university admission landscape. While the 150 mark serves as a national baseline, it acknowledges the autonomy of individual institutions to set higher internal benchmarks based on their specific requirements and academic rigor. For instance, several well-regarded institutions, including the University of Ibadan, Pan-Atlantic University, and the University of Lagos, have opted for a higher minimum score of 200 for their 2025 intake. This allows these institutions to maintain their distinct academic standards while still operating within the broader national framework.
The discussions leading to this consensus were robust, with varying proposals from different stakeholders. Newly established private universities, for example, had initially suggested a lower UTME score of 120. Conversely, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar of JAMB, advocated for a slightly higher baseline of 160. The eventual agreement on 150 reflects a compromise designed to balance accessibility with academic quality.
This development follows continuous efforts by educational bodies to streamline the admission process and ensure equitable opportunities for all candidates. It is anticipated that this schmark will pror prospective students and contribute to a more transparent and efficient admission system nationwide. Okay.ng reports.
The implications of this policy for various universities, particularly those with historically lower cut-off marks, will be closely monitored as the 2025 admission cycle approaches.
