UTME: Real truth emerges over claim JAMB set minimum cut off marks for 2024/2025 admissions

• Claims have appeared online saying JAMB has set the minimum cut-off marks for 2024/2025 admissions into local tertiary institutions
• The posters said JAMB pegged a minimum of 160 marks for admission into the university, with 120 and 100 marks set for admission into colleges of education and innovative institutions
• A fact-checking platform investigated the claim and shared its findings in a report published on Tuesday, May 7

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering education in Nigeria and worldwide.

FCT, Abuja - A message is circulating on the popular mobile application, WhatsApp, that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed the 2024 cut-off marks.

This is coming a week after JAMB announced the release of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result.

A post claiming Prof. Ishaq Oloyede-led JAMB has revealed the cut-off marks for 2024 admission is concocted. Photo credit: Prof Is'haq O. Oloyede
Source: Twitter

Each year, JAMB conducts one of the most prominent examinations in Nigeria that determines whether a student will be admitted to a tertiary institution of learning — the UTME.

After the conduct of the year's examination, JAMB sits and deliberates on the cut-off mark for universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and monotechnics. Often, universities have the highest cut-off mark, while other institutions require lower marks.

The WhatsApp message, which claimed that JAMB had conducted the policy meeting to set the official cut-off marks, read:

"Just In: The JAMB cut-off Mark 2024 is the minimum score a candidate must have in the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to qualify to participate in post-UTME.“The admissions body has announced the official JAMB cut-off mark for admissions into various tertiary institutions in the country.“JAMB pegged a minimum of 160 marks for admission into the university, with 120 and 100 marks set for admission into colleges of education and innovative institutions.“Also, some universities may set their cut-off marks at 180, as they have done in the past. The primary thing is that their cut-off marks must not be set below JAMB marks.”

Fact check report probes claim on JAMB

Due to the suspicious nature of the post, a fact-checking platform, Dubawa, fact-checked the claim. Following its scrutiny, the platform rated the claim false.

It added that the policy meeting to agree on the minimum cut-off marks for admission into tertiary institutions has not been convened nor has JAMB made an official announcement to the effect of cut-off marks for the 2024/2025 admissions.

More to read on JAMB, UTME

• Mmesoma: 'How to verify UTME results claims before awarding scholarships', JAMB releases statement
• “The only way”: JAMB shares unique method to check 2024 UTME result
• JAMB speaks on when UTME results under investigation will be released

JAMB applications process changed

Legit.ng earlier reported that JAMB said that candidates who want to access any of its services must do so by creating a profile.

JAMB said the profile must be created through the functionality of its sort codes (55019 or 66019), and admission seekers can send their NIN through their unique phone number to either of these sort codes.

Source: Legit.ng