The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has raised the alarm over the growing involvement of serving undergraduates in examination malpractice, describing many of them as “professional” Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) takers.

In a statement released on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, JAMB’s spokesperson, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, disclosed that investigations by the Board revealed that several already-matriculated students routinely register for and sit the UTME on behalf of other candidates.

According to him, the compulsory declaration of matriculation status during the 2026 UTME and Direct Entry (DE) registration is designed to fast-track disciplinary measures whenever such individuals are identified and apprehended.

He explained that all candidates registering for the 2026 UTME/DE are required to truthfully disclose whether they are already admitted into any tertiary institution. While stressing that it is not an offence for an undergraduate to register for UTME or DE, Dr. Benjamin warned that failure to declare an existing admission amounts to a serious breach of JAMB regulations.

He further cautioned that candidates who conceal their matriculation status risk forfeiting both their current admission and any new one obtained through the 2026 exercise.

Dr. Benjamin clarified that disclosure simply means that once a candidate secures a fresh admission, any previous admission automatically ceases to exist, as Nigerian law does not permit an individual to hold two admissions simultaneously.

UTME 2026: Strategic Preparation As The Key To High Scores

As the 2026 UTME approaches, candidates are reminded of the importance of thorough preparation. Echoing the popular maxim that “proper preparation prevents poor performance,” education experts note that success in the UTME is largely driven by strategy, consistency, and disciplined study habits.

With structured revision plans and proven techniques adopted by past high-scoring candidates, aspirants are advised that achieving exceptional scores — even above 340 — remains attainable with the right approach.