Over 1.5 Million Candidates Score Below 200 in 2025 UTME as JAMB Releases Performance Breakdown
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has unveiled a detailed breakdown of the performance of candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The data, shared via the board’s official social media platform on Monday, reveals a striking performance gap among the nearly two million candidates who took the examination.
According to the statistics, out of 1,955,069 candidates, more than 1.5 million scored below 200. Only 420,415 candidates managed to score above 200, while 7,658 scored between 300 and 319. Just 756 candidates surpassed the 320 mark.
In a special category, 40,247 underage candidates were allowed to take the exam under a policy that encourages young prodigies to prove their academic strength. However, only 467 of them (around 1.16%) achieved scores qualifying them for further evaluation stages under the exceptional talent framework.
On the issue of exam integrity, 97 candidates were flagged for confirmed misconduct, while 2,157 others remain under investigation for possible malpractice. Furthermore, 71,701 candidates did not show up for the exam. JAMB also noted that candidates experiencing biometric identification issues are being assessed, and those cleared will be rescheduled to sit for the test at approved centres.
The board added that some results, including those of visually impaired candidates and others assessed under the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG), are still being processed. The JEOG, formed in 2017, comprises experts focused on creating fair access to higher education for individuals with disabilities.
