JAMB Exempts Education, Agriculture Candidates From UTME
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and Agriculture-related non-engineering courses will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
JAMB disclosed the development on Monday during its ongoing 2026 policy meeting on admissions.
In a statement shared on its official X handle, the examination body stated, “Candidates seeking admissions into Education Programmes and Agriculture non-Engineering Courses are now exempted from UTME.”
The development marks a major change in Nigeria’s tertiary admission process, as the UTME has traditionally remained the standard entrance examination for admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country.
The annual policy meeting organised by JAMB is used to determine admission guidelines, including cut-off marks, admission procedures and other policies for tertiary institutions.
Although exemptions from UTME are not entirely new, especially for Direct Entry applicants and certain special categories, the latest decision is regarded as one of the broadest waivers introduced by the board in recent years.
The new policy is expected to affect candidates applying for education-related courses as well as agriculture programmes outside engineering disciplines.
The decision could also pave the way for alternative admission methods, including institutional screening and the consideration of other academic qualifications.
In recent years, Education and Agriculture courses have generally recorded lower application numbers and lower cut-off marks compared to highly competitive programmes such as Medicine, Law and Engineering.
Stakeholders believe the move may encourage more students to consider careers in teaching and agriculture, sectors considered critical to national development and food security.
The announcement comes as JAMB continues deliberations on the 2026 admission policy and national cut-off marks for tertiary institutions.
