‎JAMB REMOVES UTME REQUIREMENT FOR EDUCATION, AGRICULTURE CANDIDATES. ‎

‎The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced a new admission policy exempting candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and non-engineering Agriculture-related courses in Colleges of Education and Polytechnics from writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

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‎The announcement was made during the ongoing 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Abuja, where education stakeholders gathered to discuss admission guidelines for the new academic session.

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‎Speaking at the meeting, Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, stated that candidates applying for National Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes with a minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects would no longer be required to sit for the UTME before gaining admission.

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‎The minister, however, clarified that the affected candidates must still register with JAMB to enable proper documentation, screening, and admission processing through the Central

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‎Admissions Processing System (CAPS).

‎According to Alausa, the exemption also covers candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.

‎He explained that the policy was introduced to improve access to tertiary education while maintaining the credibility of the nation’s admission process.

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‎The minister noted that the initiative would help reduce the pressure associated with the UTME and encourage more students to pursue careers in teaching and agriculture, sectors considered important to Nigeria’s development.

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‎The decision represents a significant change in Nigeria’s admission system, as the UTME has traditionally served as the primary entrance examination for universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education nationwide.

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‎Observers say the development could boost enrollment in Education and Agriculture-related programmes, which often attract fewer applicants and lower cut-off marks compared to highly competitive courses such as Medicine, Law, and Engineering.

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‎The annual policy meeting organised by JAMB is usually used to determine admission procedures and cut-off marks for tertiary institutions across the country.

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