KUCCPS CEO Explains Why Some A Students Missed Out on Medicine Course

The Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), Agnes Mercy Wahome, has explained why some students who scored grade A in the 2025 KCSE examinations failed to secure placement in the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery.

Speaking during a KUCCPS webinar, Wahome said the main challenge was the limited number of available slots as compared to the high number of qualified applicants.

Wahome said Kenya has fewer than 1,000 Medicine training slots across both public and private universities, while more than 2,000 students scored a plain A in the 2025 KCSE examinations.

She stated that although many students qualify for Medicine by meeting the minimum subject requirements, the number of applicants far exceeds the available capacity.

KUCCPS Placement Process Is Competitive

Wahome explained that the placement process is highly competitive and depends on cluster points performance and available vacancies.

“We have fewer than 1,000 places if we combine private and public universities. If we look at the students who got an A, we have about 2,000 students,” Wahome said.

To qualify for Medicine in Kenya, students are required to attain at least a B plain in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics, and English or Kiswahili.

However, meeting the minimum requirements does not automatically guarantee placement due to competition from thousands of applicants with strong cluster subject grades.

Also Read: KUCCPS Announces 2026 Placement Results Release Date and HELB Application Timeline

KUCCPS Say Medicine Is On Demand

The KUCCPS CEO further stated that many students tend to apply for a small number of highly applied for programmes such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, and Engineering, which creates intense competition during time of placement.

Some of the courses were temporarily unavailable during the recent revision window after available slots were filled during the initial application phase.

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Wahome encouraged students who missed their preferred courses to explore alternative programmes, saying there are many other marketable careers available in universities and TVET institutions.

The explanation came amid growing reactions online from students and parents questioning why some top-performing candidates failed to secure admission into Medicine despite attaining grade A in KCSE.

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KUCCPS CEO Agnes Wahome
PHOTO/KUCCPS