In 2017, the body responsible for admission of a candidate into higher institutions of learning in Nigeria, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), introduced a Central Admission Processing System known as CAPS to replace the manual process of admitting applicants and therefore eliminates the human eliminates the human errors associated with it.
Processing of admission by all higher institutions for a candidate through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UTME and Direct Entry (DE) shall be done on the JAMB’s CAPS portal caps.jamb.gov.ng
How the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) Works
Each institution has a dashboard on Central Admission Processing System (CAPS). This dashboard is managed by the Admission Officer of each institution. The admission officer sets the institution’s admission criteria, the admission quota and a number of candidates expected for each course on the dashboard. The admission criteria include the institution’s general UTME cut off mark, the UTME cut of mark for each course or program (for merit, catchment etc.), Post-UTME screening cut-off mark, O’LEVEL or SSCE resulting grading as well as other admission criteria institution wants to use in selecting candidates. These admission criteria differ from institution to institution.
Some higher institution my use all admission criteria specified by JAMB i.e.
- UTME score + Post-UTME score + SSCE grading while some higher institution may consider using UTME score + Post-UTME or SSCE result.
The admission officer will equally determine the percentage weight for each of the admission criteria set on CAPS, e.g.
- UTME score = 50%, Post UTME scores = 30% , SSCE result = 20% (note that the total scores or percentages is 100)
Please note that most higher institutions insist on admitting only candidates that select them as first choice.
Once this is done (CAPS) Central Admission Processing System will automatically rank and list the candidates that applied to an institution and are qualified for admission into the institution based on the criteria the institution has a set in the system. A proposed admission list would now be made available by the system, which the institution’s Admission Officer is to download and send to the head of the institution for approval. If the institution rejects a candidate on the list, reason has to be given. With the approval of the list, the final list of candidates is re-uploaded to Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) portal. The admission status of each candidate is then communicated through personal profile earlier created when registering.
Candidates are to either or reject the admission. You choose ACCEPT if you are offered admission into the course you applied for or an alternative course the institution offers and which you are okay with. If on the other hand, the institution offers you admission to study a course you do not or you are no longer interested in that institution, you have the right to reject that admission.
If you reject the admission your details will be put in what JAMB calls MARKETPLACE for other institutions that can accept the qualification you have for the course you intend to study or any other course to offer you admission; in this case, most likely, then private institutions.
Once an institution offers you admission and you accept the admission, you have been automatically admitted into the institution. You no longer have the opportunity to reject the admission and be put in the Market Place for other institutions to consider you for admission. You either take it or wait for another year.
Key Benefits of CAPS to Candidates
- CAPS (Central Admission Processing System) prevent backdoor admission it means that only candidates who select an institution and accept the offer of admission from the institution will be admitted by that institution. The idea of getting admission in an institution because you know a top official in the institution is over because any name introduced into the system which is not originally on the system for that particular institution will not be accepted, neither will it be approved by JAMB for admission.
- Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) enables JAMB to verify the O’LEVEL result uploaded by candidates directly from the examination bodies such as WAEC, NECO and NABTEB
- This method helps in ensuring that institutions maintain almost a uniform academic calendar.
- The method will equally ensure that institutions comply with admission criteria and timeline.
- Peradventure there are admission spaces yet to be filled for some courses after an institution has admitted candidates that applied to it. Central Admission Processing System CAPS make it easier for such institutions to fill their admission quotas by going to the MARKETPLACE to look for candidates that meet their requirement and offer such candidates admissions.
- The method will increase the chances of candidates getting admission through the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) MARKETPLACE.
- The method eliminates multiples admissions.
- It enhances inclusiveness, equity, transparency and accountability in the admission process.
- A candidate’s status can be can be updated throughout his/her academic life in the institution (Admission deferment, transfer, withdrawal, rustication, expulsion and Death).
- Government department and institution (e.g. NYSC, Scholarship boards, States and Local Govts) can easily access these data for official purposes.