The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and Agriculture-related non-engineering courses in College of Education and Polytechnics have been exempted from writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The Board disclosed this in a post shared on its official X handle on Monday.
“Candidates seeking admissions into Education Programmes and Agriculture non-Engineering Courses are now exempted from UTME,” the board stated.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Abuja, announced that candidates seeking admission into National Certificate in Education programmes would no longer be required to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination if they possess 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.”
He, however, stressed that such candidates must still register with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
“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,” the minister stated.
Alausa said the exemption would also apply to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.
Alausa noted, “This exemption shall extend to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.”
According to him, the policy is aimed at expanding access to tertiary education while maintaining admission 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 programmes, both of which are critical to national development,” he added
The development marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s tertiary admission process, as the UTME has traditionally served as the standard entrance examination for admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country.
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