JAMB Removes UTME Requirement for Education, Agriculture Courses
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 announced during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja. According to the board, the exemption applies to candidates seeking admission into National Certificate in Education programmes and National Diploma courses in non-technology agricultural fields.
Minister of Education Tunji Alausa stated that candidates applying for NCE programmes with at least four credit passes would not need to write the UTME before gaining admission. He, however, explained that such candidates must still register with JAMB for screening, verification and admission processing through the Central Admissions Processing System.
Read more: JAMB Tightens Rules Ahead of 2026 UTME, Accredits 1,039 CBT Centres
The minister added that the same arrangement would apply to candidates seeking admission into agriculture-related National Diploma programmes outside engineering and technology disciplines.
According to him, the policy is intended to widen access to tertiary education while maintaining proper admission procedures. He said the move would also encourage more students to enrol in teacher education and agriculture courses, which are considered important to national development.
The new policy marks a major change in Nigeria’s admission process, where the UTME has traditionally served as the main requirement for entry into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Read more: 85 Below-Age UTME Candidates Get JAMB Approval After Strict Screening
The annual policy meeting organised by JAMB is used to decide admission guidelines for tertiary institutions, including cut-off marks and admission procedures.
The development is expected to create alternative admission pathways for candidates interested in education and agriculture programmes, especially as the courses have often recorded lower application rates compared to courses such as Medicine, Law and Engineering.
