The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and stakeholders in Abuja on Tuesday adopted 180 as minimum cut-off mark for admission into degree awarding institutions for 2015 session.

The decision was made at the 2015 Combined Policy Meeting on Admissions to Degree, Nigerian Certificate of Education (NCE) and National Diploma (ND) held on Tuesday in Abuja.

The meeting also adopted 150 for NCE and ND awarding institutions for the 2015 session.

The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, who announced the cut off marks to newsmen, said it was imperative for all higher institutions to abide by the agreement and ensure its implementation.

``We have been able to decide the cut-off mark; it’s going to be 180 for universities and 150 for non-degree institutions.

``However, we welcome the six new universities, which four are for universities of education, one for petroleum and one for health sciences.

``We hope that our vice-chancellors, rectors and provosts will stick to these decisions and implement accordingly so that by Oct. 31, admission for 2015/2016 will be over.

``The meeting also agreed that all stakeholders should stick to the 60:40 Science/Arts ratio and 70:30 Technology/Non-Technology ratios for admission,” he said.

Ojerinde urged the institutions to adhere strictly to the admission ratio in order to promote technological development of the nation.

The JAMB boss said that one striking feature of the 2015 Compute Based Test (CBT) was the provisions made for physically challenged candidates and prison inmates.

He said that for the first time in the region, Braille Note were introduced for the virtually impaired, adding that many of them did well in the CBT.

``Many of them scored above 200 in Law, Arts, Social Sciences, Administration, among others. When we send them to you for admission, please admit them.

``For Albinos, we increased the font of the letters so that they could see and read; they were also given extra hours.

``Prison inmates also did the CBT in their yards; 208 inmates did the exam in Nigeria.’’

Earlier in his speech, Dr MacJohn Nwaobiala, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, said that JAMB CBT had been tested and trusted.

He commended JAMB for being innovative and bringing exam models that were of international standards.

Nwaobiala said that tertiary education was very important as it produced the manpower needed for economic development, hence the need for a thorough admission procedure in higher institutions.

According to him, the Federal Government will pursue a policy of non-discrimination between polytechnics and universities.

Prof. Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), on his part warned universities against admitting students beyond their capacity.

He said that NUC would ensure that the new universities had all the required facilities before taking off, adding that some of them might not take off in 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting also had in attendance participants from National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).

Also in attendance were representatives of higher institutions, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Public Complaints Commission.

No fewer than 1.4 million candidates sat for JAMB CBT which was held from March 9 to March 21. (NAN)

•Photo shows Prof Ojerinde.

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