Olushola Omogbehin
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has adjusted the arrival time for candidates sitting the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), particularly those scheduled for the first session of the day.
In a notice issued via its official X handle on Monday, the board said instead of the earlier scheduled 6:30 a.m. for the commencement of the exam, candidates for the first session are now expected to arrive at their examination centres by 7:00 a.m.
According to JAMB, the examination will commence at 8:30 a.m. and end 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 notice read.
Jamb also said that candidates are not required to reprint their examination slips following the adjustment.
The full daily timetable, as shared by JAMB, includes four sessions running from Monday to Friday, with adjusted timings across all batches to ensure smoother operations at Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide.
It noted that the adjustment in time slots was designed to enhance operational efficiency and ensure a smoother examination process.
These concerns, according to the board, centred on early morning travel challenges, including safety risks and transportation difficulties faced by candidates.
2026 UTME is scheduled to hold between Thursday, April 16 and Saturday, April 25, 2026.
