The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced a major change to Nigeria’s tertiary admission process, revealing that some candidates seeking admission into education and agriculture-related programmes will no longer be required to write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The development was disclosed on Monday through a statement shared on JAMB’s official X account during the ongoing policy meeting on admissions.
“Candidates seeking admissions into Education Programmes and Agriculture non-Engineering Courses are now exempted from UTME,” the board stated.
Speaking at the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, explained that candidates applying for National Certificate in Education programmes can now gain admission without sitting for UTME, provided they meet the required qualifications.
“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.
He clarified, however, that registration with JAMB would still remain compulsory for documentation and verification purposes.
“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.
The minister added that the exemption would also cover candidates applying for National Diploma programmes in agriculture and related non-technology fields.
“This exemption shall extend to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses,” Alausa noted.
According to him, the decision is designed to increase access to tertiary education while maintaining proper admission standards.
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“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 policy marks a notable shift in Nigeria’s admission system, where UTME has long served as the primary entry examination for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
The annual JAMB policy meeting typically sets admission guidelines, including cut-off marks and procedures for tertiary institutions nationwide.
Education and agriculture courses have traditionally recorded lower competition levels compared to programmes such as Medicine, Law and Engineering, and the latest policy is expected to create alternative admission pathways for interested candidates.