The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, 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 (UTME).
The development was disclosed during the 2026 policy meeting on admissions held in Abuja, where education stakeholders reviewed admission guidelines for tertiary institutions across the country.
According to the new policy, candidates seeking admission into Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes with the required O’Level credits can now gain admission without writing the UTME, although they will still be required to register with JAMB for screening and processing through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
The exemption was also extended to candidates applying for National Diploma programmes in agriculture and other non-technology agricultural courses in polytechnics. Authorities said the move is aimed at expanding access to teacher education and agricultural studies while reducing pressure associated with the UTME process.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, explained that the policy is designed to encourage more young Nigerians to pursue careers in education and agriculture, sectors considered critical to national development.