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).
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The examination body disclosed the development in a post shared on its official X handle on Monday during its ongoing policy meeting on admissions for tertiary institutions across the country.
“Candidates seeking admissions into Education Programmes and Agriculture non-Engineering Courses are now exempted from UTME,” JAMB stated.
The decision marks a major change in Nigeria’s tertiary admission process, as the UTME has traditionally remained the compulsory entrance examination for students seeking admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
JAMB’s annual policy meeting is usually organised to determine admission guidelines for the new academic session, including approved cut-off marks, admission quotas and other procedures for higher institutions.
Although exemptions from the UTME already exist for some categories such as Direct Entry applicants, the latest move is considered one of the broadest admission waivers introduced by the board in recent years.
The development is expected to affect thousands of candidates applying for Education courses and Agriculture programmes outside engineering disciplines. It could also create alternative admission pathways through institutional screening exercises and other approved qualifications.
For years, Education and Agriculture-related courses have recorded lower competition levels and lower cut-off marks compared to highly sought-after programmes such as Medicine, Law and Engineering.
The announcement has already sparked discussions among students and parents, especially as many candidates prepare for admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the new academic session.
