2026 UTME: JAMB Tells Parents, Candidates What Action To Take If They Are Denied Admission
- The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board urged candidates and parents to report cases of denied admission despite meeting UTME requirements
- Ishaq Oloyede criticised parents for relying on illegal admission routes and insisted the process had become transparent through CAPS
- Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board intensified verification of direct entry and foreign qualifications, uncovering multiple cases of forged credentials
FCT, Abuja - The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has called on parents and candidates to formally raise complaints if they are confident of their Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scores but are denied admission.
The Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, made this known during an appearance on Good Morning Nigeria, a programme aired by the Nigerian Television Authority.
Source: Facebook
“If you find anybody, if you are sure of yourself, you have a score, and this is the UTME score of my child, and you know that you ought to be admitted and you are not admitted, protest to us because CAPS has made everything easy,” he said.
Registrar condemns reliance on illegal admission routes
Oloyede criticised the continued patronage of unlawful admission practices by some parents, attributing it to a long-standing culture of bypassing due process.
“People are so daring, and the parents, because they have climbed the ladder to illegality, they believe there is no other way,” he said.
He added that many parents still reach out to him for intervention, despite the automated nature of the admission system.
“I’ve seen many people who sent their children’s scores to me and asked what they could do. I tell them I will do nothing, and the candidate is admitted—and they thank me. I did nothing,” he stated.
CAPS credited with improving admission transparency
The registrar highlighted the role of the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) in enhancing fairness and accountability in the admission process.
According to him, the platform has significantly reduced irregularities since its introduction.
He noted that since 2017, there have been no major issues reported with CAPS, describing it as a reliable tool capable of handling admissions without interference.
JAMB tightens verification for direct entry candidates
Oloyede also disclosed that the board has intensified scrutiny of direct entry qualifications, making it increasingly difficult for candidates to submit falsified results.
Source: UGC
“Since 2023, annually, the rates had gone down. Many people are no longer applying for direct entry because they know we are supervising thoroughly and every year, this year, we have arrested, we have caught 77, but we did more prevention,” he said.
“JUPEB, IJMB and all the rest, we check at the point of entry and we made it impossible for them to forge, but there are still degrees,” he added.
Foreign degree verification uncovers irregularities
The registrar further revealed that the board now verifies certificates directly with awarding institutions, including those outside Nigeria.
“This year, we had about four or five cases where foreign institutions reported that the degree presented was not theirs,” he said.
Oloyede explained that earlier gaps in verifying A-level qualifications created loopholes, but new measures have been introduced to strengthen the system and prevent abuse.
He maintained that the board remains focused on safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s admission process while ensuring deserving candidates are fairly treated.
JAMB denies postponing 2026 UTME
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has refuted claims circulating online that the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has been postponed.
The board further described the information as false and misleading.
Source: Legit.ng
