By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a minor but welcome adjustment to the reporting time for candidates sitting the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), particularly those scheduled for the first session of the day.
In a statement posted to its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, the examination body confirmed that first-session candidates must now arrive at their designated Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres by 7:00 a.m. — a shift from the previously published time of 6:30 a.m.
Despite the change in arrival time, JAMB stressed that the examination itself will still commence at 8:30 a.m. and wrap up at 10:30 a.m.
“Attention 2026 UTME Candidates: This is to notify you of a slight adjustment to the arrival scheduled time, particularly for the first session, which is now 7:00am as against the earlier published 6:30am, while the scheduled start time for the session is now 8:30 am and end time 10:30 am,” the board stated.
Crucially, the board assured candidates that they need not reprint their examination slips as a result of the updated schedule.
According to JAMB, the daily timetable now features four sessions running from Monday to Friday, with revised timings across all groups designed to improve coordination and efficiency at CBT centres nationwide.
The modification comes in response to repeated concerns raised by both candidates and parents over the difficulties posed by very early morning travel — including safety risks on poorly lit roads before daylight and transport challenges for those commuting long distances.
The 2026 UTME is scheduled to take place between Thursday, April 16, and Saturday, April 25, 2026.
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