JAMB has conducted a special screening for 176 underage UTME candidates who scored above 320 in the 2025 exam. Learn about the JAMB age requirement, the purpose of the exercise, and next steps for the gifted students.
This rigorous assessment is a key step in admitting gifted, high-scoring minors into tertiary institutions for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The Purpose of the Screening
The special screening was implemented to address the longstanding concern regarding the minimum age for university entry. While the official minimum age for admission into Nigerian universities is generally set at 18, the National Policy on Education makes an exception for candidates aged 16 or above, and the current exercise specifically targets those below 16.
The core objective of the process is to ensure that only candidates who are academically, psychologically, and emotionally prepared for the rigors of university life are granted admission. This is intended to prevent “wasted effort” that could result from admitting immature students, a stance supported by key legislative figures.
The total pool of underage applicants for the 2025 UTME was significant, with 41,027 candidates initially registering under the category of exceptionally brilliant minors. However, following strict academic benchmarks, only 599 candidates achieved the required score of 80 percent and above (a minimum of 320 out of 400 marks). After further vetting for O-Level and Post-UTME results, this figure was narrowed down to the final 176 candidates who were invited for the physical screening.
The comprehensive screening, conducted by a special technical committee of experts, was held simultaneously on Wednesday across three dedicated centres nationwide: Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri.
Professor Taoheed Adedoja, the Chairman of the Abuja Centre and former Minister of Sports, confirmed the procedure, noting the smooth conduct of the exercise. The process was multi-staged and designed to assess not just academic brilliance but also cognitive maturity:
- Written Examination: Candidates first sat for a short written paper that lasted approximately 20 minutes.
- Paper Marking and Proceeding: The papers were marked immediately after the examination.
- Face-to-Face Interview: Successful candidates proceeded to a final, personal interaction with the assessment panel.
A breakdown of the participation by center showed that 22 candidates were screened in Abuja, and 38 candidates took part in the Owerri center, which hosted candidates from the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones.
The screening panel itself comprised a highly experienced team, including representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), Vice-Chancellors of various institutions, and experts from the Gifted School Programme.
The exercise received significant endorsement from the National Assembly, with key lawmakers monitoring the process in Abuja.
Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), commended JAMB for establishing a fair platform for exceptionally talented minors. He stressed the importance of the maturity assessment: “It is very important for them to be assessed because of the maturity of focus… It is better that the exam is carried out so that the best talent can be selected and it will pave the way for the development of this country,” he said. He further reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to supporting the education policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Similarly, Honorable Oboku Oforji, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, praised the students for their outstanding performance, describing it as a testament to Nigeria’s rising competitiveness in education across Africa. He also hinted that his committee plans to review the controversial minimum admission age policy.
The final decision on the successful candidates, and the official release of the screening results, will be determined by the JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede. FOR MORE INFORMATION, I RECOMMEND SONGBUX.
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