The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has provided important updates concerning the 2026_2 Pen-on-Paper (POP) examinations, including changes to how students will review the draft examination timetable and how the examination period is expected to be organised.
The update followed a pre-examination interaction involving the Directorate of Examinations and Assessment (DEA), Study Centre Directors and students on Friday, 18 September 2026.
One of the most important changes is that the draft POP examination timetable will no longer be uploaded directly to students’ portals for review. Instead, it is expected to be sent to Study Centre Directors, who will coordinate the review process with affected students.
Draft POP Timetable to Be Reviewed at Study Centres
Students writing POP examinations are expected to check the draft timetable through their respective Study Centres.
This is particularly important because students will need to confirm that:
- All their registered POP courses appear on the timetable.
- There are no timetable clashes.
- Examination dates and times are correctly assigned.
- No registered course has been omitted.
Students who notice missing courses or clashes should report them through the appropriate Study Centre channel while the timetable is still under review.
This means students should not wait for the draft timetable to appear on their portal, as was previously expected.
POP Exams May Be Organised Faculty by Faculty
Another major development is the proposed structure of the 2026_2 POP examination period.
Information from the DEA interaction indicates that POP examinations are expected to be organised faculty by faculty, with approximately two faculties examined per week.
This arrangement may reduce the overall POP examination period to about 15 days, compared with the longer examination windows students may have been used to previously.
Students should note that this arrangement applies specifically to POP examinations and does not necessarily apply to e-Examinations.
When Will the 2026_2 POP Examination Start?
The information shared during the interaction suggests that POP examinations are expected around the second or third week of October 2026.
However, students should note that an exact commencement date has not yet been officially confirmed through a final examination timetable.
For this reason, students should avoid relying on unofficial timetables or screenshots circulating on WhatsApp, Telegram or other platforms until the final timetable is released.
Important Examination Booklet Instruction
Students writing POP examinations should also take note of an important instruction concerning their examination booklet.
Before submitting the booklet, students are expected to write their:
- Name
- Matriculation number
- Signature
on the back of the examination booklet.
Students should ensure these details are completed correctly before handing over their script.
Who Is Affected?
This update is particularly important for students whose registered courses are assessed through Pen-on-Paper examinations, including many students from 300 level to 900 level, depending on programme and course structure.
Students should therefore confirm whether their courses are POP or e-Examination courses and follow the appropriate examination instructions.
What POP Students Should Do Now
Students preparing for the 2026_2 POP examinations should:
- Confirm all registered POP courses.
- Stay in contact with their Study Centre for the draft timetable.
- Check carefully for omitted courses.
- Report examination clashes immediately.
- Avoid treating any draft timetable as final.
- Continue preparing while waiting for the final timetable.
- Confirm examination venue, date and time once the final schedule is released.
- Remember to complete the required information on the back of the examination booklet before submission.
Important Advice from NOUN Update
Students should distinguish clearly between a draft timetable and a final timetable.
A draft timetable is still subject to correction and should not be used as the sole basis for travel arrangements or other major decisions until the university confirms the final schedule.
NOUN Update will continue monitoring the Directorate of Examinations and Assessment for the release of the final 2026_2 POP examination timetable and any additional examination instructions.
Once the final timetable is released, students will be able to use NOUN Update’s personalised timetable tools to check their individual examination schedules more easily.
Please share this information with other NOUN students who will be writing POP examinations.
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