JAMB has scrapped the UTME requirement for students applying to specific Education and Agriculture programmes starting in 2026.
Candidates pursuing these courses will no longer sit the entrance exam. Instead, their O'Level results will determine admission eligibility.
Applicants must still register with JAMB through the Central Admissions Processing System. But the exam itself becomes optional for these fields.
Education programmes on the exemption list include Adult Education, Business Education, and Early Childhood Education. Also covered are subject combinations like Education and English, Education and Mathematics, and Education and Physics.
Guidance and Counselling, Health Education, and Special Education made the cut too. Technical Education and Educational Management are equally exempted from the UTME requirement.
On the Agriculture side, the board exempted courses like Animal Science, Crop Science, and Fisheries. Forestry, Soil Science, and Agricultural Economics qualify as well.
Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant Science also benefit from the new rule. Agricultural Extension and Fisheries and Aquaculture are included in the exemption.
But there's a catch: Agricultural Engineering courses remain under UTME requirements. Engineering-related agriculture programmes didn't make the list.
JAMB clarified that students will still need five O'Level credit passes minimum. English Language is mandatory, plus other relevant subjects based on the course.
Universities and colleges can still conduct post-admission screening if they wish. Individual institutions retain their right to set additional requirements beyond O'Level grades.
According to JAMB, the policy tackles two critical problems at once. Nigeria faces shortages of qualified teachers and agricultural professionals in key sectors.
Removing the UTME barrier should encourage more students into these fields. Officials believe easier entry will boost interest in education and agriculture careers.
Both sectors are vital to Nigeria's development, the board noted. The move recognises their importance to national progress and economic growth.
All approved tertiary institutions must implement this policy from 2026 onwards. Universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education will all follow the new framework.
JAMB said this represents a significant shift in its admission approach. The board is actively reshaping entry pathways for priority professional areas.
