The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Wednesday inaugurated a special committee to oversee the admission process for under-aged candidates who excelled in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Speaking at the inaugural meeting held in Bwari, FCT, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said the committee would determine modalities for selecting “specially gifted candidates” from among the 599 under-aged applicants who scored 320 and above in the 2025 UTME.
“These are candidates who, despite being under-aged, performed exceptionally. The committee will decide on the process, timeline, and criteria for selecting those who will be admitted into tertiary institutions to encourage academic brilliance,” Oloyede stated.
He revealed that the committee comprises vice chancellors of Nigerian universities, representatives from regulatory agencies, educational experts, and other key stakeholders, many of whom joined the meeting virtually.
According to the registrar, the committee has resolved that final selections will be made by September. Candidates will be assessed based on multiple criteria:
Academic Performance: Candidates must have at least 80% in their school certificate results.
Post-UTME Performance: Institutions are to submit post-UTME scores for candidates by September 16, and any candidate scoring below 80% in the post-UTME will be disqualified.
“While the minimum age for admission remains 16 years, we believe that truly exceptional students deserve to be encouraged. But only one or two may eventually qualify after rigorous screening,” Oloyede added.
He further disclosed that the panel will convene in Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri to complete the evaluation process.
Prof. Oloyede also used the opportunity to caution parents against pushing their children prematurely into tertiary institutions, emphasizing that emotional and psychological maturity is just as important as academic readiness.
He warned against bribery and other corrupt practices in the admission process, stressing that such actions could introduce young students to unethical behavior early in life.
He assured that the selection process would be transparent and merit-based, given the calibre of professionals involved in the committee.
