FG removes UTME requirements for education and agriculture applicants

The Federal Government has introduced major changes to the tertiary admissions process in Nigeria by removing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for candidates applying to certain Education and Agriculture programs.

The announcement was made on Monday during the ongoing admissions policy meeting and was later shared via the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) official X account.

“Candidates seeking admission into non-Agricultural Education Programs and Courses are now exempt from UTME,” the council said.

Speaking at the 2026 Policy Meeting on Tertiary Admissions in Abuja, Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa explained that applicants pursuing the National Certificate in Education no longer need to sit UTME provided they meet the minimum academic requirements.

Alausa stated, “Candidates seeking admission to the NCE program, who have a minimum of four credit cards, are no longer required to take the UTME.”

Although there are exceptions, the Minister explained that all applicants must still complete registration with JAMB before admissions can be processed.

“However, it needs to be emphasized that such candidates are required to register with JAMB, and their credentials must be screened, verified and certified for issuance of admission letters through CAPS, in accordance with existing regulations,” the minister said.

This policy also covers students enrolled in National Diploma programs in agricultural fields outside of engineering and technology.

Alausa noted, “This exception applies to candidates seeking admission to National Diploma programs in non-technological agriculture and agriculture-related courses.”

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According to the minister, the decision is designed to increase access to higher education while maintaining the credibility of the admissions process.

“This approach strikes a necessary balance between expanding access and maintaining the integrity of our admissions system.

“This will not only ease the stress associated with UTME but also encourage greater participation in teacher education and agricultural programs, both of which are critical for national development,” he added.

This development is one of the most prominent adjustments to the country’s revenue structure in recent years, considering that UTME has long served as the main gateway to the nation’s universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

JAMB’s annual policy meeting is traditionally used to determine admission procedures, benchmark scores and other operational guidelines for tertiary institutions across the country.

This latest policy is expected to create an alternative admission pathway for candidates seeking admission into Education and Agriculture related programs through institutional screening and qualification verification rather than through the conventional UTME process.

Education and Agriculture courses have historically recorded competitive admissions and lower cut-off marks compared to sought-after courses such as Medicine, Law and Engineering, so the new policy is likely to attract increased enrollment in both sectors.