150 for Uni, 100 for Poly and CoE: Is the JAMB 2025 cut-off mark the worst yet?

Nigeria’s 2025 JAMB cut-off marks—150 for university, 100 for polytechnics and Colleges of Education—have sparked widespread commentary on whether they represent a critical low point in academic standards.

What the Numbers Say

• Universities: Minimum UTME score raised to 150 from 140 in 2024
• Polytechnics & Colleges of Education: Both pegged at 100, unchanged from previous years .
• Nursing schools: Set independently at 140

Context: How Low Is It?

Technext points out that 150 is still higher than the 2017 university minimum of 120, marking it the highest in five years—even though the cut-off feels low because average scores cluster around 200.

But the trend since the introduction of CBT in 2013 reveals a gradual decline: universities dropped from 180 to 150 over the past decade, while polytechnics and COEs fell from 150 to 100

Performance Insights

• The 2025 UTME saw 78.5% of candidates score below 200—a concerning metric.
• 2025 ranks as the third-worst UTME performance since 2016, trailing only 2021 and 2020.
• Only 6.08% scored 250+, compared to just 4.18% in 2024

 Public & Expert Reaction

Critics argue the low threshold signals deteriorating education quality. As one X user said:

“Setting the university cutoff mark at 150 is a glaring sign that the standard of education in Nigeria is crumbling. It’s a wake?up call for a total overhaul.”

Balancing Access and Standards

• JAMB and institutional leaders emphasize that lower cut-offs ensure broader access, especially for underserved students. Universities still retain the authority to set higher internal benchmarks, particularly for competitive courses .
• However, experts warn that artificially raising admission rates could compromise graduate quality, emphasizing that access shouldn’t come at the cost of rigor .

Verdict: Is It the Worst Yet?

• Quantitatively, 2025’s 150 university cut-off is not the lowest ever, hovering higher than several past years.
• Qualitatively, the context of overall poor UTME performance and widespread concern over educational standards has made the policy feel like a low point.

The real test will be institutional post-UTME filters, which may preserve quality even as national thresholds remain accessible.

Bottom Line

The 2025 JAMB cut-offs reflect an uneasy compromise: they boost access amid declining performance but fuel worries about educational dilution. As more candidates score below 200, the stakes fall on universities to use internal screening to safeguard academic integrity.