No more UTME for education, agriculture applicants, says JAMB
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and agriculture-related non-engineering courses in Colleges of Education and Polytechnics will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. The announcement was made on Monday during the board’s ongoing 2026 policy meeting on admissions held in […]
no DE admission without certificate verification jamb
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and agriculture-related non-engineering courses in Colleges of Education and Polytechnics will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The announcement was made on Monday during the board’s ongoing 2026 policy meeting on admissions held in Abuja.
In a post shared on its official X handle, JAMB stated, “Candidates seeking admissions into Education Programmes and Agriculture non-Engineering Courses are now exempted from UTME.”
Speaking at the meeting, Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, explained that candidates seeking admission into the National Certificate in Education programme would no longer be mandated to sit the UTME provided they meet the minimum entry requirements.
“Candidates seeking admission into the NCE programme, who possess a minimum of four credit passes, will no longer be required to sit for the UTME,” Alausa said.
The minister, however, clarified that the exemption does not remove the requirement for candidates to register with JAMB before admission can be processed.
“However, it is imperative to emphasise that such candidates shall mandatorily register with JAMB, and their credentials shall be duly screened, verified, and certified for the issuance of admission letters through CAPS, in accordance with extant regulations,” he stated.
Alausa further disclosed that the new policy would also cover candidates applying for National Diploma programmes in agriculture-related courses that are outside engineering and technology disciplines.
“This exemption shall extend to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses,” he noted.
According to the minister, the policy is designed to improve access to tertiary education while safeguarding the integrity of the admission process.
“This approach strikes a necessary balance between widening access and preserving the integrity of our admission system.
“It will not only ease the pressure associated with UTME but also encourage greater participation in teacher education and agricultural programmes, both of which are critical to national development,” he added.
The development marks a major adjustment to Nigeria’s tertiary admission process, where the UTME has traditionally served as the primary qualifying examination for admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
JAMB’s annual policy meeting is convened to determine admission procedures for tertiary institutions nationwide, including cut-off marks and other admission guidelines for the new academic session.
The latest decision is expected to create alternative admission pathways for candidates pursuing Education and agriculture-related programmes through institutional screening and credential verification rather than the conventional UTME process.
Education and Agriculture courses have historically recorded lower admission competition and cut-off marks compared to highly sought-after programmes such as Medicine, Law and Engineering.
Earlier on Monday, reports had indicated that JAMB was expected to announce the 2026 UTME cut-off marks during the policy meeting.