He reiterated that only candidates who will be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, are eligible to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), stressing that any exception to the rule is strictly regulated.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has cleared the air over the wave of “No Result Yet” messages received by some candidates, confirming that the scores of underage applicants are being withheld pending further evaluation under its exceptional admission policy.
JAMB’s spokesman, Fabian Benjamin, said the clarification became necessary following a surge of enquiries from anxious parents and candidates, noting that the affected category involves candidates who do not meet the board’s stipulated age requirement.
He reiterated that only candidates who will be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, are eligible to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), stressing that any exception to the rule is strictly regulated.
According to him, underage candidates can only be considered for admission if they demonstrate exceptional academic ability by scoring a minimum of 320 in the UTME and attaining at least 80 per cent in subsequent screening exercises.
Benjamin added that, in line with prior agreements reached with parents, only candidates who meet the 320 threshold will be shortlisted and invited for further assessment, effectively limiting the pool of those eligible for exceptional consideration.
He emphasised that until the screening process is concluded, results of underage candidates will remain withheld, urging stakeholders to exercise patience as the board enforces measures designed to safeguard the integrity of the admission process.