Varsity VC: Why We Can’t Admit Students Scoring Below 170 in JAMB

The Vice Chancellor of Kogi State University, Kabba, Prof. Eniola, has defended the institution’s decision to set its minimum admission cut-off mark at 170, which is higher than the 140 benchmark established by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Speaking at the university’s premises during the conclusion of the institution’s one-year anniversary program, Prof. Eniola addressed calls to lower the cut-off score, stating that reducing it below 170 would undermine the university’s reputation. He emphasized that maintaining higher standards is essential for the university’s mission.

“I am aware that many people believe we should lower our admission cut-off to 140 to attract more students. However, doing so would contradict our commitment to upholding high academic standards,” Prof. Eniola explained.

He further stressed that the university’s goal is not simply to increase student enrollment for financial gain but to ensure that the quality of education remains high.

“Some have criticized us for setting the admission cut-off at 170, but we are focused on delivering a standard of education we can be proud of. Our goal is not to generate revenue at the expense of quality. Lowering our standards would encourage mediocrity,” he said.

Prof. Eniola also mentioned that many top-tier institutions set their cut-off marks at 200 or above, despite JAMB’s 140 benchmark, reinforcing that Kogi State University’s decision to set the mark at 170 is a balanced approach.

“Our motto is ‘Beating the best to become the best.’ To achieve that, we must start with high standards. Some universities won’t admit students with scores below 200, even though JAMB allows 140,” he noted.

For students who do not meet the 170 cut-off but are still interested in the institution, the VC suggested applying for ‘A’ level courses, adding that such students would be given priority for the next academic session.

Prof. Eniola also revealed that for the 2024/2025 academic session, the university will admit 1,750 students from the 3,500 candidates who selected Kogi State University as their first choice.

The Vice Chancellor further highlighted that the new university began its academic operations in January 2023 with an initial intake of 1,200 students.