The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified that candidates currently enrolled in tertiary institutions can register for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry, but must disclose their matriculation status, warning that failure to do so could result in the forfeiture of both admissions.

In a statement on Wednesday, signed by the Board’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said some “self-styled education advocates” had misrepresented the Board’s directives, causing confusion among candidates and parents.

“The attention of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has been drawn to a misleading and unfortunate distortion of a portion of the Board’s clear directives to candidates registering for the 2026 UTME/DE, as contained in the 2026 UTME/DE advertisement.

This deliberate misrepresentation is being propagated by some unscrupulous self-styled education advocates for parochial interests,” Benjamin said.

He noted that 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,” he said.

Benjamin emphasised that it is not an offence for a candidate to register for the UTME/DE while still enrolled in an institution, but failure to disclose such status constitutes an offence.

“For the avoidance of doubt and for record purposes, and in line with its statutory mandate to prevent multiple matriculations, the Board directed that all candidates registering for the 2026 UTME/DE must disclose their matriculation status, where applicable,” he said.

He explained, “It is not an offence for a candidate to register for the UTME/DE 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 law is explicit that no candidate is permitted to hold two admissions concurrently.”

The adviser also highlighted that recent findings indicate that some matriculated students have been engaged as professional examination takers.

“Mandatory disclosure, therefore, expedites appropriate action whenever such candidates are apprehended,” he said.

Benjamin added that although the Board’s system can detect prior matriculation, candidates who fail to disclose stand the risk of forfeiting both opportunities.

“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,” he added.

As part of its ongoing efforts to maintain examination integrity, JAMB earlier announced that registration for the 2026 UTME officially commenced on January 26.

It ruled that any Computer-Based Test centre whose registration activities cannot be monitored remotely will not be allowed to participate.

According to the Board, the measure, tagged “No Vision, No Registration, No UTME,” is part of efforts to curb registration infractions and restore the integrity of its examination processes.

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has ruled that any Computer-Based Test centre whose registration activities cannot be monitored remotely will not be allowed to participate in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination registration.

The Board announced this in its weekly bulletin published on its website on Monday.

According to JAMB, the measure, tagged “No Vision, No Registration, No UTME,” is part of efforts to curb registration infractions and restore the integrity of its examination processes.

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, made the disclosure at a stakeholders’ meeting with Peace Monitors, Chief Technical Advisers, Chief External Examiners, as well as zonal and state coordinators involved in monitoring CBT centres during the 2026 UTME registration exercise.

Oloyede said all CBT centres participating in the 2026 UTME registration would be monitored live from JAMB National Headquarters, Abuja.

He, however, said any centre that cannot be covered or viewed live from the board headquarters will not be able to register and hold 2026 UTME.

“Any centre whose registration activities cannot be viewed from the JAMB National Headquarters, Abuja, will not be paid, and such registration may be invalidated,” he said.

The registrar also stressed the compulsory use of Microsoft or Digitech live cameras for UTME registration, noting that only the approved devices would be allowed for capturing the second image during registration.

He explained that the measure was introduced to minimise manipulation of candidates’ pictures, which, he said, was detected during the 2025 UTME registration exercise.

Giving specifications for approved equipment, Oloyede said all existing CBT centres must migrate to HIKVision Closed Circuit Television systems, with HIKVision recommended as the Network Video Recorder or Digital Video Recorder.

“The NVRs must have a minimum of 16 channels to cover all areas of the examination centre,” he said.

He added that all CCTV systems must be wired, noting that wireless CCTV systems would not be permitted.

According to him, CCTV cameras must cover the examination area, verification area, holding room, walkways, examination hall, server room, as well as entrance and exit doors.

“Erring centres would be sanctioned, including possible prosecution,” Oloyede warned.

The registrar further stated that JAMB would not bear the cost of reconfiguring CCTV routers for any centre, adding that affected centres must handle such costs before being allowed to operate.

He recalled that centres and individuals previously involved in unwholesome practices had been delisted and were currently being prosecuted, warning that the Board would not hesitate to sanction any centre or individual found culpable of examination malpractice.

PUNCH Online reports that JAMB officially commences registration of candidates for the 2026 UTME on Monday (today).

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