JAMB Approves Admission for 85 Outstanding Underage Candidates After Intensive Evaluation

By our Correspondent

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has granted admission approval to 85 underage candidates who demonstrated exceptional academic ability and maturity during the 2025 admission exercise.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Board’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr.

Fabian Benjamin, JAMB explained that the decision followed a meticulous evaluation process consistent with global best practices, noting that such approvals are rare and considered only under exceptional circumstances.

“After thorough verification and interviews, 85 candidates who met the established criteria have been duly cleared to proceed to their respective institutions and print their JAMB admission letters,” Dr. Benjamin stated.

The Board revealed that out of the 2,031,133 candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), 41,027 underage applicants sought special consideration. From this number, 599 candidates who scored above 80 percent were shortlisted for further scrutiny, including verification of school certificates and Post-UTME results.

Following multiple assessment stages, 182 finalists were identified. After the final round of interviews and vetting, 85 candidates were adjudged fully qualified for tertiary admission under JAMB’s exceptional policy.

JAMB emphasized that the decision should not be viewed as a lowering of standards but as recognition of rare intellectual and emotional maturity among a select few candidates.

“This exceptional admission policy is not a relaxation of standards,” the statement clarified. “It acknowledges extraordinary intellectual maturity among candidates who have proven their readiness for tertiary education ahead of the statutory age.”

The Board further announced a special appeal window for any of the 182 finalists who missed the final interview to apply through the JAMB Support Ticketing System under a new category titled ‘2025 Underage Complaint’. Each appeal, it said, will be reviewed on merit.

In a related development, JAMB also granted a two-day grace period ending Wednesday, October 29, 2025, for candidates who scored 320 and above in the 2025 UTME but were disqualified for failing to upload their O-Level results to do so and notify the Board through the same support platform.

Reaffirming JAMB’s commitment to fairness and transparency, Dr. Benjamin stated:
“Our mandate is to ensure that every qualified candidate, regardless of age or background, is given a fair opportunity. At the same time, we will continue to uphold the standards that sustain the integrity of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.”