Merit Over Age: JAMB Clears 85 Underage Candidates for Exceptional University Admission Following Rigorous Screening

Introduction: Acknowledging Exceptional Talent
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has concluded a rigorous screening process and announced the clearance of 85 underage candidates for university admission under a special, merit-based category. This decision underscores the examination body’s commitment to recognizing truly exceptional talent, treating such cases as rare exceptions consistent with global best practices in education.

This news, confirmed by JAMB’s spokesman, Fabian Benjamin, in Abuja, ends a period of intense scrutiny for thousands of high-achieving, but young, students who sought consideration for tertiary education in the 2025 academic session.

The Rigorous Screening Process: From Millions to 85
The final clearance of 85 candidates represents the culmination of a stringent, multi-stage screening process that began with over two million applicants. The process clearly illustrates JAMB’s high commitment to setting a very high bar for this exceptional admission category.

In the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), a total of 2,031,133 applicants were recorded. Out of this massive pool, 41,027 candidates initially sought consideration under this special, underage category.

The first critical cut-off point reduced the pool significantly: only 599 candidates scored the 80% UTME score threshold (scoring 320 and above). This small group of high achievers was then subjected to further, intensive scrutiny, including Post-UTME (PUTME) screening and detailed checks of their school certificates. This stage narrowed the field down to 182 finalists (178 plus an additional four candidates).

Finally, after due verification, personal interviews, and a final thorough screening, only 85 candidates were found to have genuinely met the strict criteria. This final list for JAMB Clears 85 Underage Exceptional Admission represents less than 0.005% of all UTME applicants, powerfully reinforcing the “rare exceptions” policy of the Board.

Next Steps and Final Lifelines
The 85 cleared candidates have been officially notified and advised to immediately proceed to their respective institutions to finalize their admission processes and print their individual JAMB admission letters, confirming their placement.

For those who were part of the 182 finalists but missed the final interview for a valid reason, JAMB has provided a dedicated channel for appeal. They are urged to submit a formal request through the JAMB Support Ticketing System under the new category: “2025 Underage Complaint.” These appeals will be reviewed strictly on a case-by-case basis.

In an additional, crucial announcement, JAMB is also offering a brief lifeline to another group of high-performing students: Candidates who scored 320 and above in the UTME but were initially disqualified for failing to upload their O-Level results are now given a chance to rectify the error. They have a two-day window (not later than Wednesday, 29th October, 2025) to upload the required results and notify the Board via the ticketing system.

Conclusion: Prioritizing Merit and Best Practice
The action taken by JAMB to clear these 85 underage candidates is a significant step toward making merit the ultimate criterion for university admission, irrespective of age constraints. By subjecting applicants to rigorous scrutiny, JAMB is protecting the integrity of the process while ensuring that genuinely gifted, young students are not held back. The message is clear: academic excellence combined with thorough vetting is the pathway to exceptional admission in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

Were you one of the candidates affected by this special screening? Share your experience in the comments below!