JAMB Exempts Education, Agriculture Candidates from UTME

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. The board disclosed this in a post shared on its official X handle during the ongoing 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Abuja. 

At the meeting, Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said candidates seeking admission into National Certificate in Education programmes would also no longer be required to sit for the UTME, provided they possess a minimum of four credit passes. He explained that the exemption is part of efforts to widen access to tertiary education while preserving admission standards. 

The minister, however, stressed that such candidates must still register with JAMB. According to him, their credentials will be screened, verified and certified for the issuance of admission letters through the Central Admissions Processing System, CAPS, in line with existing regulations. 

Alausa added that the exemption would also extend to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses. He said the policy is aimed at encouraging broader participation in critical sectors, especially teacher education and agriculture, while maintaining proper regulatory oversight in the admission process.