The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Wednesday inaugurated a special committee to oversee the admission process for under-aged but exceptionally gifted candidates.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, disclosed this at the sidelines of the committee’s inaugural meeting held in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to him, the committee will establish the modalities for selecting “specially gifted candidates” among the 599 under-aged applicants who scored 320 and above in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
“These 599 candidates performed remarkably well despite being under-aged. The committee will decide on the screening process, key dates, and criteria for selection. The goal is to admit only those who are exceptionally brilliant, in order to encourage academic excellence,” Oloyede said.
He noted that the committee includes vice chancellors of Nigerian universities, representatives of regulatory bodies, education experts, and other key stakeholders, some of whom joined the meeting virtually.
Oloyede revealed that successful candidates will be announced before the end of September. He outlined the evaluation criteria as follows:
Academic Records: Candidates must have scored at least 80 per cent in their school certificate examinations.
Post-UTME Scores: Participating institutions are expected to submit post-UTME scores by September 16. Any candidate scoring below 80 per cent will be disqualified.
“We are aware that the minimum admission age remains 16 years, but in rare cases, we can accommodate one or two truly gifted students who meet the set benchmarks,” he said.
He also disclosed that the committee will convene in Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri for its sessions.
The registrar cautioned parents against pushing their children prematurely into higher education, emphasizing the importance of natural growth and maturity. He further warned against bribery in the admission process, describing it as a harmful way to introduce young minds to corruption.
Oloyede assured that the screening and selection process would be transparent and merit-driven, given the competence and integrity of the committee members.
