The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and some Agriculture-related courses in colleges of education and polytechnics will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The decision was disclosed on Monday during the ongoing 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Abuja.
According to the board, the exemption applies to candidates seeking admission into National Certificate in Education programmes, provided they possess at least four credit passes in relevant subjects.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, explained that although such candidates would no longer need to write UTME, they must still register with JAMB for proper documentation and admission processing.
He noted that their credentials would be screened and verified through the Central Admission Processing System before admission letters are issued.
The minister added that the new policy also covers candidates applying for National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.
According to Alausa, the move is aimed at expanding access to tertiary education while maintaining the integrity of the admission process.
He said the exemption would reduce the pressure associated with UTME and encourage more students to pursue careers in Education and Agriculture, which are considered important sectors for national development.
The development marks a major shift in Nigeria’s admission process, as UTME has traditionally been the compulsory entrance examination for admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country.
Insightlinks gathered that the annual policy meeting organised by JAMB also featured discussions on admission guidelines, institutional quotas and cut-off marks for the 2026 admission exercise.
Advertisement
