The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and agriculture-related non-engineering courses in Colleges of Education and Polytechnics will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The board disclosed this in a post shared on its official X handle on Monday during its ongoing policy meeting on admissions.
At the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja, Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced that candidates seeking admission into National Certificate in Education programmes would no longer be required to sit the UTME if they possess the required qualifications.
Alausa declared that 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 stressed that such candidates must still register with JAMB, and their credentials shall be duly screened, verified, and certified for the issuance of admission letters through CAPS.
The minister said the exemption would also apply 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. The move is expected to create alternative admission pathways through institutional screening and other qualifications.
