By: Sunday Ameh
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that all prospective candidates for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) must declare their current admission status during registration.
The new requirement, contained in the agency’s latest bulletin, mandates applicants to state whether they are already enrolled in any tertiary institution.
According to JAMB, the policy is aimed at curbing impersonation and other examination infractions, especially those linked to individuals already admitted into higher institutions. The board revealed that its 2025 UTME infraction report showed that over 90 percent of candidates caught cheating were existing students seeking to exploit the system.
JAMB warned that failure to disclose true admission status, or providing false information, will attract strict penalties, including withdrawal of existing admission, cancellation of registration, and possible prosecution.
The board noted that the directive serves as early notice to candidates and the public, emphasising that the UTME is primarily for fresh admission seekers. It added that students already admitted into tertiary institutions must not register for the exam without proper disclosure.
“JAMB will not tolerate any attempt to undermine the integrity of the admission process,” the board stated.
Leave a Reply