The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) announced today that candidates applying for education programmes and agriculture-related non-engineering courses at colleges of education and polytechnics are now exempt from taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
This decision was shared during a policy meeting on admissions held in Abuja and through a post on JAMB’s official social media account on X (Twitter) 
The annual policy meeting organised by JAMB sets the admission guidelines, including cut-off marks and various procedures for higher education institutions.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, specified that candidates seeking admission into National Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes would only need to have a minimum of four credit passes to be exempted from the UTME, though registration with JAMB remains mandatory. The same exemption applies to candidates applying for National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural courses.
Alausa emphasised the importance of registering with JAMB, ensuring that applicants’ credentials are screened and verified for admission letters. This policy aims to enhance access to tertiary education while maintaining admission standards, thereby easing UTME pressures and promoting participation in essential fields such as teacher education and agriculture, crucial for national development.
The announcement is a significant change in Nigeria’s tertiary admission process, where the UTME has traditionally been a requirement for entry into higher education institutions.
“This approach strikes a necessary balance between widening access and preserving the integrity of our admission system.
“It will not only ease the pressure associated with UTME but also encourage greater participation in teacher education and agricultural programmes, both of which are critical to national development,” Alausa added.
Historically, the UTME has been the main entrance examination for universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education nationwide. However, candidates for education and agriculture courses have always had lower JAMB cut-off marks.
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The body also reiterated that the age for university admission remains 16 years old while the Heads of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria unanimously agreed that the minimum admissible Scores for admissions into Universities should be 150, Colleges of Nursing, 150, and Polytechnics, 100.
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