The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has outlined a stringent pathway for exceptionally gifted underage candidates, setting a minimum score of 320 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) as a key requirement for consideration.

Despite this provision, the board reaffirmed its strict enforcement of the 16-year minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions, stressing that the concession applies only to a limited category of candidates who demonstrate outstanding academic ability.

JAMB clarified that the “No Result Yet” status currently observed by some candidates is not due to any technical malfunction but a deliberate policy measure affecting those who fall below the prescribed age threshold.

The examination body disclosed that results of underage candidates have been withheld, noting that such individuals are not eligible for admission under existing regulations. The clarification follows concerns from candidates and parents who had initially attributed the development to system errors.

In a statement issued in Abuja, JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, explained that the status reflects compliance with admission guidelines rather than any system failure.

According to him, only candidates who will be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026, are eligible to register for and sit the UTME.

He, however, noted that an exception exists for candidates classified as academically exceptional.

He stated that such candidates must score 320 and above in the UTME and attain at least 80 per cent in subsequent screening processes, including post-UTME assessments, before they can be considered.

Benjamin added that, based on prior agreements with parents, only candidates who meet the 320 benchmark will be shortlisted and invited to proceed to the next stages of evaluation.

Those who successfully scale through the process may then be considered for admission under the exceptional candidates category.

“For now, results for underage candidates remain unreleased,” he said. (Daily Trust)