UTME: JAMB withdraws candidates’ list sent to varsities

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has withdrawn the list of recommended candidates for admission earlier sent to Universities and other tertiary institutions.

The announcement was contained in a statement by the spokesperson of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjmin.

JAMB explained that the decision was to ensure that the Senate of Universities perform their statutory responsibility of conducting the selection of candidates and referring them to it for confirmation in line with the admission criteria of merit, catchment and educationally disadvantaged states as directed by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, during the policy committee meeting.

It said the earlier list was sent to help speed up the process of admission so as to allow other tiers of institutions also conduct their admission.

“Candidates should not panic because this is part of the process of the 2016 admission exercise. JAMB regrets any inconvenience this decision would have caused the tertiary institutions,” he stated.

The Registrar/Chief Executive of JAMB, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, had given conditions for the 2016 admission saying it would only give approval “after appropriate screening of the candidates by the institutions.”

He had said, “JAMB wishes to state that the latest list of candidates sent to all the tertiary institutions contains candidates who qualified for screening based on the individual institutions capacity. It’s not in any way an admission list.

“However, if this list is not sufficient for the need of any institution, such institution can source from the omnibus printout earlier sent to them by the Board. The public and all tertiary institutions should note that admission will only be approved by the board after appropriate screening of the candidates by the institutions.

“The list which is made up of candidates who met the national cut-off point within the set criteria are sent to the institutions. Again, for purposes of clarity, all institutions that have need for more can source from their omnibus printout as stated above. The candid intention of the Board is to ensure that available spaces are adequately utilised.”

The Federal Government had clarified its ban on Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and the general admission procedures, saying it “does not in any way affect the statutory role of the Senate of any University or the academic boards of any tertiary institution conducting its admissions.”