Thousands of Higher National Diploma graduates across Nigeria who have been denied participation in the National Youth Service Corps scheme due to admission irregularities may have been directing their complaints to the wrong agency, as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has now categorically stated it has no statutory role in HND admissions or NYSC mobilisation.
Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the JAMB Registrar, made this clarification during a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Polytechnic Students, led by Comrade Eshofune Paul Oghayan, insisting that responsibility for HND admissions lies solely with individual polytechnics, not JAMB.
The meeting was detailed in a bulletin released by JAMB on Monday and signed by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin.
According to Prof. Oloyede, 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 stated.
He advised students experiencing mobilisation challenges to channel their grievances to the appropriate institutions and regulatory bodies rather than JAMB.
The Registrar explained that once candidates graduate from ND programmes and seek HND admission, the responsibility shifts entirely to individual polytechnics. This is where the problems often begin, as many institutions bypass proper procedures, creating long term consequences for graduates.
Many HND graduates, particularly those who completed their National Diploma on a part time or non regular basis before pursuing full time HND programmes, have encountered barriers to NYSC mobilisation. NYSC eligibility typically requires full time study for the highest qualification, and irregularities in admission processes can lead to rejections or the issuance of exemption certificates instead of service participation.
Prof. Oloyede emphasised that JAMB conducts admissions through its automated Central Admissions Processing System, which streamlines the process, restores institutional autonomy, prevents multiple admissions and ensures transparency. He warned that any admission conducted outside CAPS is null and void.
"CAPS automates the admissions process into tertiary institutions, addresses challenges associated with the manual approach, and empowers candidates with information on available institutions and programmes," he said.
The Registrar revealed that some institutions bypass CAPS and admit more ND candidates than allowed by the National Board for Technical Education, creating discrepancies between ND graduates and their HND counterparts, especially when the HND programme is pursued at a different institution.
He criticised what he termed "Daily Part Time" HND programmes, describing them as exploitative and noting that NYSC often rejects graduates of unconventional programmes, making mobilisation impossible.
Prof. Oloyede disclosed that one polytechnic reportedly has over 42,000 irregular admission cases, a figure that highlights the scale of the problem facing polytechnic education in Nigeria.
"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," he advised.
The clarification is expected to redirect student complaints toward polytechnic managements and regulatory bodies responsible for HND admissions, while reinforcing JAMB's position that its Central Admissions Processing System remains the only legitimate pathway for admissions into National Diploma and other programmes under its mandate.
