Education And Agriculture Candidates Now Exempted From UTME – JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates applying for Education courses and non-engineering Agriculture programmes in Colleges of Education and Polytechnics will no longer need to write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

JAMB made this known on Monday in a statement issued on its official X page during its ongoing policy meeting on admissions.

“Candidates seeking admissions into Education Programmes and Agriculture non-Engineering Courses are now exempted from UTME,” the board stated.

The announcement was also confirmed by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja.

Alausa explained that candidates applying for National Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes with at least four credit passes would no longer be required to take the UTME before gaining admission.

He said, “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.”

However, he noted that such applicants must still register with JAMB for proper screening and documentation.

“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.

He added that the exemption would also cover candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in agriculture-related courses that are not technology-based.

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 decision was introduced to increase access to tertiary education while still maintaining proper 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 new development represents a major change in Nigeria’s admission system, as UTME has long been the main examination required for admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

JAMB’s annual policy meeting is usually organised to decide admission guidelines for tertiary institutions, including cut-off marks and admission procedures.

The new policy is expected to create alternative admission opportunities for students applying for Education and Agriculture courses through institutional screening and qualification checks instead of UTME alone.

Over the years, Education and Agriculture courses have generally recorded lower admission cut-off marks compared to competitive courses like Medicine, Law, and Engineering.

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