JAMB Begins Screening Underage UTME 2026 High Scorers
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has started the screening process for underage candidates who achieved high scores in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. This initiative targets candidates who scored 320 and above and fall under the exceptional category as defined by the board.
According to JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin, eligible candidates have begun receiving notifications directing them to proceed to the next stage of evaluation at their selected institutions. The board has forwarded the details of qualified candidates to their chosen institutions for further assessment and admission consideration.
Details of the Screening Process
JAMB confirmed that candidates who meet the required benchmark have had their details sent to their institutions of choice for further assessment. The board sent messages to underage candidates who scored 320 and above, inviting them to the next level of assessment by their institution of choice.
One message sent to a candidate explained that the process is part of a structured admission pathway. It noted that the candidate had crossed the required threshold and would be contacted by the institution for screening, after which the result would be returned to the board.
Exceptional Candidates Proceed to Next Stage
This exercise follows JAMB's policy for academically gifted candidates who are below the official admission age of 16. The board had earlier withheld their results, with many receiving a No Result Yet notification. To qualify for consideration, such candidates must score at least 320 in the UTME and achieve a minimum of 80 per cent in subsequent screening stages. Only those who meet these conditions will proceed further in the admission process.
JAMB maintained that results for underage candidates will remain withheld until the screening is concluded. The board stated that the policy is designed to maintain fairness and uphold standards in the admission system.
Related Incidents
In a separate development, JAMB confirmed the re-arrest of a suspected examination fraudster linked to a scheme targeting UTME candidates. The suspect, Emmanuel Akataka, was taken back into custody after investigators found he resumed fraudulent activities shortly after securing bail. He previously operated under a false identity, Official Frederick, while running online platforms that promised candidates illegal score manipulation services.
Additionally, a Federal High Court in Katsina sentenced a young man, Ibrahim Abdulaziz, to three years in prison for impersonation during the UTME. The court held that the offence struck at the credibility of public examinations and required firm punishment. The conviction followed a trial in which prosecutors established that Abdulaziz posed as another candidate during the examination held in April 2025.
