Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

The Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, UI, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka has provided insights into the on-going 2019/2020 admission exercise in the institution.

Olayinka stated that the admission process of the Premier University is known for merit and transparency, noting that it is very competitive with many candidates not being able to secure admission yearly.

He said that the process is such that a candidate who is unable to secure admission through merit has a slim chance of doing so through applying for a change of course.

“The point is that some courses have too many candidates seeking admission. When the numerous unsuccessful applicants into those programmes later decide to apply for a change of course, they would be contesting for the very few available slots in those courses. It is not even impossible for those courses to have been filled by those candidates that picked them as First Choice”, Olayinka said.

He noted that candidates who missed admission through merit have been mounting pressure on members of staff of the institution with the hope that they would be able to assist them in picking any other course just to allow them be admitted.

According to him, some Professors were seen openly complaining of pressure from relatives, friends, family members, with a few of them saying, “These people should know that UI’s admission is merit-driven. I am handicapped. I can’t help many of these requests”.

This clarification is necessitated by the release of the cut off marks for the various programmes in the institution and pressure from parents whose wards did not make the points needed for their first choice in the institution.

While a little over 20,000 candidates took part in the post UTME examination of the University of Ibadan which was conducted recently, only about 4,000 are likely to secure admission into the various programmes.

However, the institution’s Registrar, Olubunmi O. Faluyi has urged candidates who may not be able to the secure admission to the institution to apply to the institution’s affiliate institutions for consideration.

Her words, “Candidates whose scores fall below the released marks may wish to seek admission in institutions affiliated to the University of Ibadan or the University of Ibadan Distance Learning center for their degree programmes. Information about these institutions can be obtained from the Admissions Office. Candidates are advised not to give money to any individual or group of persons who may promise to help them with admission”.