In a major reform that could significantly change Nigeria’s tertiary admission process, 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.
The announcement was made during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja, where stakeholders in the education sector gathered to discuss new admission guidelines and policies for universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country.
According to JAMB, the exemption applies to candidates seeking admission into National Certificate in Education programmes as well as National Diploma programmes in non technology agricultural and agriculture related courses. The board explained that the move is part of broader efforts by the Federal Government to increase access to tertiary education and encourage more students to study courses considered critical to national development. ..READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, who addressed participants at the meeting, disclosed that candidates interested in NCE programmes would only need a minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects to qualify for admission without writing UTME. However, he stressed that such candidates must still register with JAMB for documentation, screening, and verification through the Central Admissions Processing System, popularly known as CAPS.
The minister explained that although the UTME requirement has been removed for the affected categories, the government is not lowering academic standards. According to him, all applicants will still undergo proper credential verification before admission letters are issued. He added that the policy is designed to strike a balance between widening access to education and maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s admission system.
Education stakeholders say the new policy could help revive interest in Education and Agriculture courses, which have experienced declining application numbers over the years compared to highly competitive programmes such as Medicine, Law, Engineering, and Computer Science. Analysts believe many students often avoid these courses because of lower societal interest, financial concerns, and the stress associated with UTME and admission competition.
The government also believes the policy could help address shortages in the education and agricultural sectors by encouraging more young Nigerians to pursue careers in teaching, food production, crop science, animal husbandry, and other agriculture related professions. Officials at the policy meeting reportedly described the move as necessary for strengthening food security and improving the country’s education system.
The development marks one of the biggest adjustments to Nigeria’s admission structure in recent years. Traditionally, UTME has served as the main entrance examination for students seeking admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country. The new exemption now creates an alternative pathway for students applying to selected programmes.
While many Nigerians have welcomed the decision as a positive step toward expanding educational opportunities, some education observers have raised concerns about possible loopholes and the need for strict monitoring to prevent abuse of the new system. Discussions have already emerged online over whether some students could attempt to gain admission through exempted courses and later switch to more competitive programmes.
JAMB is expected to release further guidelines on how the policy will be implemented nationwide, including details on registration procedures, screening requirements, and admission timelines for the 2026 and 2027 academic sessions.
