UTME 2026: JAMB Announces Last-Minute Change to Exam Schedule
- JAMB revised the 2026 UTME timetable just days before the examination, adjusting daily session schedules across CBT centres nationwide
- The board maintained four daily sessions from Monday to Thursday, with set arrival and exam times designed to streamline candidate movement
- Friday’s schedule included a reserved session slot, prompting candidates to verify their assigned times ahead of the examination
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a revision to the timetable for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The board has introduced an adjusted session structure just days before the exam begins nationwide. The examination is scheduled to start this week across accredited Computer-Based Test centres.
Source: Facebook
The updated arrangement affects daily session timings from Monday through Friday, with slight changes introduced for Friday sessions in particular.
Revised CBT timetable for examination centres
According to the new schedule announced in a post on its official X page, candidates will sit in four sessions daily. From Monday to Thursday, session 1 begins at 8.30am and ends at 10.30am, while session 2 runs from 11.00am to 1.00pm. Session 3 is scheduled from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, and session 4 takes place from 4.00pm to 6.00pm.
Candidates are expected to arrive earlier, with reporting times set at 7.00am for the first session, 9.00am for the second, 11.00am for the third, and 2.00pm for the final session.
Friday schedule adjustments introduced
On Friday, the structure remains largely similar but includes specific adjustments for later sessions. Session 1 and session 2 maintain the same timing as earlier in the week, with exams starting at 8.30am and 11.00am respectively.
However, session 3 is marked as reserved, with a scheduled time of 1.30pm to 3.30pm, while session 4 is fixed from 4.00pm to 6.00pm. Candidates assigned to these slots are expected to adhere strictly to the revised timetable.
JAMB advised candidates to carefully confirm their session details ahead of the examination period. It stated that punctuality and strict adherence to instructions will be essential for the smooth conduct of the nationwide assessment.
Read JAMB's X post below:
Source: UGC
JAMB: 23 banned items in UTME halls
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board released a strict list of items banned from the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination halls.
Candidates were advised to comply fully with the guidelines to avoid disqualification on examination day.
According to the board in its 2026 UTME manual, only an HB pencil and a copy of the examination slip would be permitted into the Computer-Based Test centres. Any candidate found with unauthorised materials would not be allowed to sit for the exam.
JAMB announces start of 2026 UTME
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that JAMB fixed January 26 as the start date for the sale of application forms for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The announcement was contained in a photostatement signed by the Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, and published on the Board’s official X handle on Tuesday, January 13.
According to the statement, the exercise covers admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session.
UTME 2026: JAMB releases registration guidelines
Legit.ng also reported that JAMB released detailed guidelines for the registration of candidates for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Prospective candidates were required to have a National Identification Number (NIN), an email address, among others.
Legit.ng reports that the JAMB 2026 UTME form was on sale from Friday, January 31, 2026, till Saturday, March 8, 2026
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
