Official Compulsory Subjects for Nursing/Medicine/Law in JAMB
Official Compulsory Subjects for Nursing/Medicine/Law in JAMB
Imagine this scenario.
You study hard. You burn the midnight candle (or rechargeable lamp, because NEPA is unreliable). You smash JAMB and score a whopping 290. You are already calculating your CGPA and imagining yourself in that white lab coat or lawyer’s wig.
Then, admission lists come out. You check your CAPS. “Not Admitted.”
Why? Because you wrote the wrong subjects.
It happens every single year. Nothing hurts more than losing admission not because you aren’t brilliant, but because you didn’t check the compulsory subjects for Nursing/Medicine/Law in JAMB.
It’s painful, but it’s avoidable. Let’s break down exactly what you need to write so you don’t fall into this trap.
Medicine & Surgery: The Non-Negotiable Four
If you want to be a doctor, the path is narrow. There is no freestyle here.
Most universities in Nigeria, from the University of Ibadan (UI) to UNILAG, have a strict requirement for Medicine. You cannot be creative with your choices.
The Compulsory Combo:
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Use of English (Compulsory for everyone).
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Physics.
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Chemistry.
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Biology.
The Common Mistake: Some students love Mathematics and hate Biology, so they try to swap them. Don’t do it. While you need Mathematics in your WAEC/NECO result (at least a Credit), most universities do not want Mathematics in JAMB for Medicine.
Stick to the core sciences. If you swap Biology for Agric because “it’s easier,” you have automatically disqualified yourself from studying Medicine.
Nursing Science: It’s Not Just “Mini-Medicine”
Nursing has become one of the most “hot cake” courses in Nigeria recently (everyone wants that Japa opportunity, right?). Because of this, the competition is fierce.
For 99% of Nigerian universities, the requirement for Nursing is identical to Medicine.
The Compulsory Combo:
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Use of English.
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Physics.
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Chemistry.
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Biology.
A Quick Note: A few years ago, some schools were lenient and allowed Mathematics instead of Physics. But recently, most have standardized it. To be safe, stick to the Physics-Chemistry-Biology trio. It’s the gold standard.
Also, ensure you have your 5 Credits in WAEC/NECO (including Maths and English) in one sitting if possible. Some top schools are very picky about two sittings for medical courses.
Law: The Literature Trap
This is where I see the most tears.
If you want to study Law, you are entering the Arts/Humanities territory. But some students think, “I am a social science student, let me add Economics.”
That’s fine, but there is one subject you cannot miss.
The Compulsory Combo:
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Use of English.
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Literature-in-English. (This is the deal-breaker).
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Any two Arts or Social Science subjects. (Usually Government, CRS/IRS, or History).
The “Literature” Mistake: I’ve seen students write English, Government, CRS, and Economics. They score 280. They get rejected.
Why? Because Literature-in-English is the backbone of Law. If you don’t write Literature in JAMB, you cannot study Law in a Nigerian university. It doesn’t matter if you got an ‘A1’ in it in WAEC. It must be in your JAMB combination.
According to the official JAMB IBASS brochure, Literature is mandatory. For the other two subjects, Government and CRS are usually the safest bets because they align well with the curriculum.
The O’Level (WAEC/NECO) Connection
Here is something many students ignore. Your JAMB combination is just half the battle. Your O’Level result is the other half.
You might think, “I’ll just write the exam now and sort out WAEC later.”
Be careful. If you are applying for these high-stakes courses, your WAEC or NECO result must match your ambition. You need at least 5 Credits in Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology for Medicine and Nursing.
For Law, you need a Credit in Literature-in-English and Mathematics (yes, you need a Credit in Maths to study Law in most schools like UNILAG or OAU, even if you don’t write it in JAMB).
How to Confirm Before You Register
Don’t just take my word for it. Admission policies can change slightly depending on the school (e.g., a state university might accept a slightly different combo than a federal one).
Before you pay that N3,500 (or whatever the current price is) for the JAMB form, do this:
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Visit the JAMB IBASS (Integrated Brochure and Syllabus System) portal.
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Select your preferred school.
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Check the specific requirements for your course.
Also, keep an eye on reputable education news platforms like The Punch Education for any sudden policy changes by the Ministry of Education.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right subjects is the first exam you must pass. If you fail this, your 300+ score becomes a useless number.
Don’t let your “village people” win by making a simple registration error. Pick the right compulsory subjects for Nursing/Medicine/Law in JAMB, study hard, and get that admission letter.
You’ve got this. Now, go and crush that syllabus.
