With the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination beginning on Thursday, 16 April and running through Saturday, 25 April, JAMB has published a comprehensive list of banned items and misconduct penalties that every candidate must understand before stepping into an examination centre.

The Board has made clear that the rules are not advisory. Violations carry consequences ranging from outright result cancellation to criminal prosecution and multi year bans, enforced under the Examination Malpractice Act.

The misconduct codes and their penalties are as follows. 

Code A covers failure to present an e-registration or examination slip, attracting cancellation of the result. 

Code B covers possession of a calculator or similar electronic device, resulting in cancellation and prosecution. 

Code C covers spying, with cancellation as the penalty. 

Code D, one of the most serious offences, covers impersonation and carries cancellation, a two year ban and prosecution. 

Code E covers swapping examination details or documents and results in cancellation. 

Code F covers possession of USB drives, CDs, hard disks or similar storage devices, attracting cancellation and prosecution. 

Code G covers violent or unruly behaviour towards examiners and results in cancellation, expulsion from the hall, prosecution and a three year ban. 

Code H covers lateness to the examination hall, resulting in cancellation. 

Code I covers possession of a wristwatch, attracting cancellation and prosecution. 

Code J covers possession of a mobile phone or similar device, resulting in cancellation and prosecution. 

Code K covers collusion with other candidates, examiners or external agents and carries cancellation, a three year ban and prosecution.

Code L covers entering or leaving the hall without permission and results in cancellation. 

Code M covers widespread or mass cheating, attracting cancellation and prosecution. 

Code N covers copying from unauthorised materials, resulting in cancellation and prosecution. 

Code P, the most severe on the list, covers tampering with or doctoring results and carries cancellation, a three year ban and prosecution for forgery.

The full list of prohibited items includes wristwatches, pens and biros, mobile phones, spy reading glasses, calculators, USB drives, CDs, hard disks, books and reading materials, cameras, recorders, microphones, earpieces, ink readers, smart lenses, smart rings, smart jewellery, smart buttons, Bluetooth devices, key holders, ATM cards, erasers, bangles, rings, necklaces and wallets or purses.

Candidates are reminded that no writing materials are permitted other than ordinary HB pencils. Bags, purses and similar items are banned from the examination hall. Strict biometric verification and screening will be conducted at all centres. The examination runs across accredited CBT centres nationwide in four daily sessions, with the first session beginning at 8:30 am.

If you are sitting the 2026 UTME, the safest approach is to arrive with nothing beyond your examination slip, your HB pencil and your biometric details. Everything else is a risk not worth taking.