JAMB Cut-off Marks Over The Years (2007 – 2022)

How has the JAMB cut-off mark evolved (increased or dropped) over the years? What are the cut-off marks that have been used since 2008 to 2022? These are the questions we will address in this article with actual numbers. Recently, JAMB released the minimum cut-off marks for admission into Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of education. However, this development spurred uproar from some quarters of the the Nigerian society.

Many Nigerians believe that the 140 cut-off mark set for university admission is ridiculous. Many have attributed this low standard to the cause of the decline we have seen in the Nigerian educational system. Undoubtedly, this rot will have a spillover effect on the labour market. Are graduates churned out of our higher institutions of learning competent?

The purpose of this article is not to discuss the decline in standards in the Nigerian educational system. Rather, we intend to walk us through the trend in JAMB cut-off marks. Has it increased or decreased over the years? If JAMB cut-off marks are decreasing, what is the reason for that?

How Minimum Admission Points Have Decreased Over the Years

Does JAMB truly not want to set higher standards? Do they look at the pass rate before making these decisions? Does these marks demotivate students from wanting to try harder? These are some of the questions begging for answers.

One could be tempted to argue that these are just the minimum required and that institutions are not required to use them. It is simply the minimum cut-off point below which a student may not be admitted into tertiary institutions. Nevertheless, this low standards send the wrong signals to students and the global community.

History of JAMB Cut-off Marks from 2007 to 2022

Below are the cut-off marks that were used for admission from the year 2007 to 2022. We are using the point set for universities as examples to demonstrate what has happened over the years. That is, how has cut-off marks increased or dropped? Cut-off marks are even lower for polytechnics and colleges.

Visualizing The Evolution With A Chart (The Trend)

This is what the cut-off marks decline looks like in a chart. Do you see the trend now?

The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) cut-off mark should be continuously lowered, according to stakeholders in the North-East education sector, as this will promote competitiveness and the advancement of education in the nation.

PunchNG also reported that “The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, and the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof Ishaq Oloyode, on Thursday, prevented stakeholders present at the 2022 policy meeting organized by JAMB from pegging the cut-off marks for university admissions at 120.”

What do you think about this development? Share your opinion in the comment section!