JAMB Introduces 320 UTME Benchmark for Gifted Under-16 Candidates

 The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates below the age of 16 can now be considered for admission into tertiary institutions if they achieve an exceptional score of 320 or above in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

This decision comes after the reversal of the controversial 18-year minimum admission age policy introduced by former Education Minister Tahir Mamman. The current minister, Olatunji Alausa, reinstated the 16-year benchmark, emphasizing inclusivity for exceptionally gifted students.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, explained that while the standard age remains 16, institutions should accommodate younger candidates with outstanding academic records.

“We must identify and support highly gifted children. If a candidate under 16 scores 200, that’s not exceptional. However, scoring 320 out of 400 is a different case,” Oloyede stated.

The registrar also warned against the fraudulent manipulation of birth records by parents seeking early university admission for their children, stressing that such practices could create problems during the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program.

Additionally, JAMB has introduced a mock UTME for underage candidates to assess their readiness for tertiary education without immediate admission consequences.