The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates seeking admission into education programs 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.
JAMB revealed this in a post shared on its official X handle on Monday during its ongoing policy meeting on admissions.
“Candidates seeking admissions into education programs and agriculture non-engineering courses are now exempted from UTME,” the board stated.
At the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Abuja, Minister of Education Tunji Alausa announced that candidates seeking admission into National Certificate in Education programs would no longer be required to take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination if they met the qualifications.
Alausa declared, “Candidates seeking admission into the NCE program, who possess a minimum of four credit passes, will no longer be required to sit for the UTME.”
He, however, emphasized that such candidates must still register with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
“However, it is imperative to emphasize 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,” the minister stated.
Alausa stated that the exemption would also apply to candidates applying for National Diploma programs in non-technology, agricultural, and agriculture-related disciplines.
Alausa noted, “This exemption shall extend to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programs in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.”
According to him, the initiative aims to increase access to postsecondary education while maintaining admissions standards.
“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 programs, both of which are critical to national development,” he added.
The change represents a significant shift in Nigeria’s tertiary admission procedure, as the UTME has traditionally been the official entrance examination for admission to universities, polytechnics, and institutions of education across the country.
JAMB’s annual policy meeting is normally held to establish admission rules, including cut-off marks and other procedures for tertiary institutions.
The shift is expected to have an impact on candidates seeking admission to education-related courses and agribusiness programs outside of engineering disciplines, perhaps opening up new admission channels through institutional screening and other credentials.
Like recent years, courses like education and agriculture have generally had lower cut-off marks than highly competitive programs like medicine, law, and engineering.
