Candidates sitting the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, scheduled from Thursday, April 16, to Saturday, April 25, 2026, have been warned to comply strictly with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board's examination rules or face sanctions ranging from result cancellation to prosecution under the Examination Malpractice Act.

JAMB outlined 15 misconduct codes, each carrying specific penalties. Impersonation attracts result cancellation, a two-year ban, and prosecution. Violent or unruly behaviour towards examiners results in cancellation, expulsion from the examination hall, prosecution, and a three-year ban. Collusion with other candidates or examination officials carries result cancellation, a three-year ban, and prosecution. Result tampering or forgery attracts cancellation, a three-year ban, and prosecution for forgery. Possession of calculators, mobile phones, wristwatches, or storage devices such as USB drives, CDs, and hard disks each attracts result cancellation and prosecution. Lateness, spying, swapping examination documents, and unauthorised movement in or out of the examination hall all result in cancellation of results.

JAMB also released a list of 23 prohibited items that candidates must not bring into the examination hall. The banned items include wristwatches, pens or biros, mobile phones or similar electronic devices, spy reading glasses, calculators, USB drives, CDs, hard disks, books or any reading and writing materials, cameras, recorders, microphones, earpieces, ink and pen readers, smart lenses, smart rings and jewellery, smart buttons, Bluetooth devices, key holders, ATM cards, erasers, bangles, rings, necklaces, and wallets or purses.

The only items permitted into the examination hall are an HB pencil and a printed copy of the examination slip. Bags, purses, and wallets are also banned from the examination centre premises.

JAMB further confirmed that biometric verification will serve as the sole mode of entry into examination centres and will also function as the attendance register. No candidate should be kept waiting if verification fails initially; such candidates are to be recaptured at the centre before leaving. The examination will run in four daily sessions, with the first session commencing at 8:30 a.m.