JAMB Fixes Cut-Off Marks For Tertiary Institutions

Candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria now have cause to smile as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed the minimum cut-off marks for 2017, despite the ongoing strike by the academic staff union of universities.

At a policy meeting on the 2017/2018 admission exercise in Abuja, the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, announced 120 as the minimum cut-off marks for admissions into universities in Nigeria.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, and heads of tertiary institutions across the country.

The cut-off mark for admission into polytechnics and colleges of education was fixed at 100, while that of innovative enterprising institutes was pegged at 110.

Professor Oloyede, however, said the institutions are at liberty to raise their cut off marks for admission above the minimum benchmark set by the board.

More than 1.7 million candidates applied to study various courses in tertiary institutions across the country in 2017 and with the minimum benchmark fixed by JAMB, admission seekers with requisite qualifications may find it easier to gain admission into institutions of their choice.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, also formerly announced a lift of the ban on the conduct of Post-UTME examination as a prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions.

“Cancellation of Post- UTME is a mistake,” he said.

He noted that banning of post-UTME led to a lot of irregularities by candidates and some institutions.

The minister explained that with the lifting of the ban on the conduct of the examination, institutions are now at liberty to conduct, while adding that fee for the examination should not exceed N2000.

He explained that the 2016 admission process was a huge success, while expressing optimism that government is working assiduously to make that of 2017 better.