The University of Calabar (UNICAL), Cross River State, has scrapped its Post-UTME Aptitude Test for the 2025/2026 academic session, opting instead to screen prospective students using their O’level results.
UNICAL’s decision represents a major change in the university’s admission process and aligns with increasing advocacy for less burdensome and more cost-effective screening alternatives, particularly for candidates traveling long distances from various parts of the country.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the institution’s Registrar and Secretary to Council, Chukwuka Icha, who disclosed that the Post-UTME registration portal had already been closed.
According to the university, the decision was made to ease the travel burden on candidates who would have had to journey to Calabar for the exercise.
“Sequel to the above, Management has directed that the University would rather screen the candidates with their O’level results using the Point Tally System,” the statement read in part.
Confirming the development in a telephone conversation with Guild, the university’s Public Relations Officer, Effiong Eyo, said the directive was authentic and originated from the school’s Information Unit.
He noted that the Point Tally System, already in use by some Nigerian universities, assigns numerical values to candidates’ grades in relevant O’level subjects, typically awarding higher points for higher grades, and uses the totals to determine whether applicants meet departmental cut-off marks.
