Dare Babalola
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has insisted that candidates currently enrolled in tertiary institutions and seeking to register for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) must disclose their matriculation status.
The examination Board said failure to comply with this directive will result in the forfeiture of both admissions.
In a statement on Wednesday, signed by the Board’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin, JAMB condemned the “deliberate misrepresentation” by some unscrupulous self-styled education advocates who are spreading false information about the Board’s directives, causing confusion among candidates and parents for selfish gain.
The statement read, “The attention of JAMB has been drawn to a misleading distortion of the Board’s clear directives. Many of these individuals 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.”
JAMB clarified that candidates are not prohibited from registering for UTME/DE while enrolled in an institution, but failure to disclose their admission status is an offence.
The Board warned that candidates who fail to disclose their status risk forfeiting both admissions.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all candidates registering for the 2026 UTME/DE must disclose their matriculation status, where applicable,” the statement emphasised.
The Board explained that the disclosure requirement is aimed at preventing multiple matriculations and curbing the activities of professional examination takers.
“No candidate is permitted to hold two admissions concurrently. Mandatory disclosure expedites action against candidates engaged as professional examination takers,” JAMB stated.
The statement added that the Board’s system can detect prior matriculation, and candidates who fail to disclose their status will face consequences.
JAMB urged the public to be cautious of individuals spreading false information and advised candidates to carefully read official guidelines.
“Members of the public are advised to carefully read official guidelines and avoid accepting distorted interpretations wholesale,” the statement concluded.
