JAMB Sends Strong Warning To UTME Candidates
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned that any candidate who fails to disclose an existing university admission while registering for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) risks forfeiting both opportunities. The board in a statement on Wednesday said some claims circulating online suggest that students already enrolled in tertiary institutions cannot register for the examinations. JAMB described these claims as inaccurate and said they were being spread for attention on social media. Explaining why misinformation arises, the Board said some individuals often do not review the official guidelines carefully. “This development is hardly surprising, as such individuals routinely surface at the commencement of every registration cycle. Many of them do not take the time to read or properly understand the guidelines, yet hastily rush to the public space with false narratives aimed solely at attracting traffic to their social media platforms. Had they read the instructions, they would have found them unambiguous and straightforward,” the Board said. Clarifying the rules for candidates already in universities, JAMB stated: “It is not an offence for a candidate to register for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry while still enrolled in an institution. However, failure to disclose such status constitutes an offence. Disclosure simply means that once a candidate secures admission through the latest registration, the former admission automatically ceases to subsist.” The Board added that the law does not allow students to hold two admissions at the same time. “The law is explicit that no candidate is permitted to hold two admissions concurrently,” JAMB said. Regarding malpractice, JAMB noted that some matriculated students have been acting as professional examination takers. “Recent findings indicate that many matriculated students are engaged as professional examination takers. Mandatory disclosure therefore expedites appropriate action whenever such candidates are apprehended,” it said. JAMB also confirmed that its system can detect prior matriculation. “Although the Board’s system has the capacity to detect prior matriculation, any candidate discovered to have failed to disclose such status stands the risk of forfeiting both opportunities,” the Board said. Finally, the Board advised candidates and parents to rely only on official information. “The Board therefore urges the public to be cautious of these so-called education advocates who are perpetually eager to mislead candidates and parents for selfish gain. Members of the public are advised to carefully read official guidelines and avoid accepting distorted interpretations wholesale,” it concluded.
