The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified that it is not responsible for Higher National Diploma (HND) admissions or for the inability of some graduates to be mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, made the statement during a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Polytechnic Students, led by Comrade Eshofune Paul Oghayan. The clarification was contained in a bulletin released by the Board on Monday, signed by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin.
Many HND graduates, particularly those who completed their National Diploma (ND) on a part-time or non-regular basis before pursuing full-time HND programmes, have faced difficulties being mobilised for the NYSC. This has often led to frustration among affected polytechnic alumni, some of whom have blamed JAMB for alleged data or processing issues.
Professor Oloyede emphasised that JAMB’s mandate is limited to conducting examinations and admitting students into first-degree, National Diploma, and Nigerian Certificate in Education programmes. “The Board is not responsible for admitting HND students into polytechnics and, therefore, has no data to facilitate their entry into the NYSC scheme,” he said. He advised students to direct their grievances to the relevant institutions for redress.
He explained that after candidates graduate from ND programmes and seek HND admission, the responsibility rests with the individual institutions, not JAMB.
The Registrar also highlighted that JAMB conducts admissions through its automated Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS). According to him, CAPS streamlines admissions, restores institutional autonomy, prevents multiple admissions, and ensures transparency. Any admission conducted outside CAPS, he warned, is null and void.
Professor Oloyede further criticised some polytechnics for bypassing CAPS and admitting more ND candidates than allowed by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), creating discrepancies between ND graduates and their HND counterparts—especially when the HND programme is pursued at a different institution.
He also condemned certain “Daily Part-Time” HND programmes, describing them as exploitative, noting that the NYSC often rejects graduates of unconventional programmes, making mobilisation impossible. “Some polytechnics have conducted illegal admissions, with one institution reportedly having over 42,000 irregular cases,” he said.
“If institutions follow the proper process, there would be no problem. On our part, we will continue to render quality service beneficial to all stakeholders. Let’s do things properly,” Professor Oloyede concluded.
