By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Reporter
EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES under the age of sixteen who met the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) criteria for admission have been cleared to proceed to their institutions following the conclusion of the Board’s special screening process for underage applicants.
In a statement signed by JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin, the Board confirmed on Monday that it had released the results of 85 underage candidates who successfully completed the comprehensive evaluation exercise conducted for the 2025 admission cycle.
According to JAMB, the 85 candidates who were adjudged qualified have been duly notified and directed to proceed to their respective institutions to finalise admission formalities and print their individual admission letters from the Board’s portal.
Dr Benjamin also explained that this clearance followed a rigorous and transparent verification process, designed to ensure that only deserving candidates benefitted under the Board’s policy of exceptional admission, which caters to rare academic cases involving applicants below the age of sixteen by September 2025.
“This policy of exceptional admission is consistent with global best practices, where such cases are treated as rare exceptions rather than the norm,” the statement noted.
Providing a detailed breakdown of the process, the Board disclosed that in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), a total of 2,031,133 applicants registered nationwide.
Among them, 41,027 candidates sought consideration under the special underage category. Out of this number, 599 candidates attained the 80 per cent performance threshold in the UTME.
JAMB further explained that these 599 candidates were subjected to additional layers of scrutiny involving the assessment of their school certificate results and Post-UTME (PUTME) screenings conducted by respective institutions.
The outcome of that review led to the shortlisting of 182 finalists comprising 178 candidates and four exceptional cases—who were invited for final verification and interviews.
Following the comprehensive evaluation, 85 candidates were found to have satisfied all requirements and were subsequently cleared for admission into their preferred tertiary institutions.
The statement also advised any of the 182 shortlisted candidates who missed the final interview for valid reasons to submit formal requests through the JAMB Support Ticketing System under the newly created category titled “2025 Underage Complaint.”
Each complaint, the Board said, would be individually reviewed and decisions taken strictly on merit.
“This window is for only the 182 finalists who might, for one reason or the other, have missed the final interview,” JAMB clarified, adding that no further extensions would be granted outside this process.
The examination body further addressed cases involving high-performing candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2025 UTME but were previously disqualified from admission consideration due to their failure to upload their O-Level results.
Such candidates, the statement said, have now been given an opportunity to regularise their documentation.
“Candidates who score 320 and above in UTME but failed to upload O-Level results and were subsequently disqualified from proceeding are now given a chance to upload within two (2) days, that is, not later than Wednesday, 29th October 2025, and notify the Board of such through the ticketing,” the statement read.
JAMB emphasised that the entire exceptional admission framework was designed to uphold fairness, inclusiveness, and accountability within the tertiary admission system while maintaining the sanctity of Nigeria’s educational standards.
“The Board reiterates its commitment to ensuring that the admission process remains credible, transparent, and inclusive, while also maintaining the integrity of academic standards across all tiers of tertiary education in Nigeria,” Dr Benjamin stated.
The Board reaffirmed that underage admissions remain strictly exceptional and will continue to be handled under stringent guidelines to discourage abuse of the policy.
It restated that only candidates who demonstrate exceptional academic potential and meet all specified screening requirements will be considered in future admission cycles.
JAMB has continued to emphasise adherence to institutional cut-off marks and statutory admission timelines to promote orderliness in the conduct of the 2025/2026 academic session.
The Board said that all institutions must ensure that no candidate, including those under the special category, is offered admission outside the prescribed regulatory framework.
Officials noted that the Board’s ticketing system remains the authorised channel for candidates to lodge complaints or seek clarifications on admission-related matters, adding that communication through unofficial platforms will not be recognised.
With the release of the 85 underage candidates’ results, JAMB concluded the latest phase of its exceptional admission review, reaffirming its ongoing reforms aimed at deepening transparency in Nigeria’s tertiary education admission process.
The Board assured stakeholders that all decisions taken were guided by verifiable documentation and interviews conducted by relevant committees, stressing that fairness and merit would continue to define the admission process.
JAMB also reiterated that it would sustain collaboration with tertiary institutions to ensure compliance with admission policies and promote merit-driven access to higher education, in line with national and global best practices.
