The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has clarified that it is not responsible for Higher National Diploma admissions or for the inability of some graduates to be mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps.
The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, made the statement while meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Polytechnic Students, led by Comrade Eshofune Paul Oghayan.
This was contained in a bulletin released by the Board on Monday and signed by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin.
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.
However, irregularities in admission processes, such as part-time ND classifications or unprocessed admissions, can lead to rejections or the issuance of exemption certificates instead of service participation.
This has sparked frustration among affected polytechnic alumni, who have occasionally pointed fingers at JAMB for alleged data or processing issues.
Prof. Oloyede told the students that the Board’s mandate is limited to conducting examinations and admitting students into first-degree, National Diploma, and Nigerian Certificate in Education programmes, and does not extend to HND 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 the students to channel their grievances to the appropriate quarters for redress.
He explained that once candidates graduate from ND programmes and seek HND admission, the responsibility lies with the individual institutions, not JAMB.
Central Admissions Processing System
The Registrar also highlighted that JAMB conducts admissions through its automated Central Admissions Processing System.
CAPS, he said, streamlines admissions, restores institutional autonomy, expands opportunities, 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,” Prof. Oloyede said.
The Registrar added that some institutions bypass CAPS, admitting more ND candidates than allowed by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
This, he noted, creates discrepancies between ND graduates and their HND counterparts, especially when the HND programme is at a different institution.
He also criticized some “Daily Part-Time” HND programmes, which he described as exploitative, noting that NYSC often rejects graduates of unconventional programmes, making it impossible for them to be mobilised.
“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,” Prof. Oloyede advised.
