The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a cautionary statement to candidates and the general public about the deliberate distortion of its registration guidelines for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE).
In a statement released on Tuesday by JAMB’s spokesman, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the Board expressed concern over misleading interpretations circulating on social media. These distortions, often propagated by self-proclaimed education advocates for narrow interests, misrepresent the official guidelines associated with the 2026 UTME/DE advertisement.
JAMB emphasized that such individuals typically emerge at the beginning of each registration cycle, often failing to accurately comprehend official guidelines before disseminating false narratives.
“To clarify, and in line with our statutory obligation to prevent multiple matriculations, all candidates registering for the 2026 UTME/DE are required to disclose their matriculation status, where applicable,” the statement asserted.
The Board clarified that registering for the UTME or Direct Entry while enrolled in an institution is not an offense. However, it is critical for candidates to disclose their current matriculation status, as failure to do so is considered an infringement.
JAMB explained that disclosure means that any admission secured through the latest registration will nullify any previous admission. The law prohibits candidates from maintaining concurrent admissions.
Additionally, JAMB highlighted recent findings indicating that numerous matriculated students have been engaging in the practice of hiring professional examination takers. Mandatory disclosure is part of the Board’s initiative to ensure accountability and take necessary actions against such candidates.
While JAMB’s system is equipped to detect prior matriculations, the Board warned that candidates who neglect to disclose this information risk losing both their current and future admission opportunities.
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