The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has stated that it is not in charge of Higher National Diploma admissions and cannot be blamed when some graduates fail to secure mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, made this clarification during a meeting with leaders of the National Association of Polytechnic Students, headed by Comrade Eshofune Paul Oghayan.
The clarification was disclosed in a bulletin issued by the Board on Monday and signed by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin.
Several HND graduates, especially those who obtained their National Diploma through part-time or non-regular programmes before enrolling in full-time HND courses, have faced difficulties being mobilised for the NYSC scheme.
Eligibility for NYSC participation generally requires candidates to have completed their highest qualification through full-time study. When admission records contain irregularities—such as part-time ND classifications or admissions that were not properly processed—graduates may either be rejected for service or issued exemption certificates instead.
These challenges have generated frustration among affected polytechnic graduates, some of whom have accused JAMB of contributing to the problem through alleged data or admission processing errors.
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Responding to the concerns, Prof. Oloyede explained that the Board’s duties are limited to organising entrance examinations and processing admissions 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 urged the students to take their complaints to the relevant authorities responsible for HND admissions.
Oloyede further explained that once candidates complete their ND programmes and seek admission into HND courses, the process is handled directly by their institutions rather than JAMB.
He also highlighted the role of JAMB’s automated Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), which the Board uses to coordinate admissions into tertiary institutions.
According to him, CAPS simplifies the admission process, promotes institutional independence, widens access to available programmes, prevents multiple admissions, and improves transparency.
He warned that any admission conducted outside the system lacks legitimacy.
“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 also noted that some institutions bypass CAPS and admit more ND students than the quota approved by the National Board for Technical Education.
Such practices, he said, often lead to inconsistencies between ND and HND records, particularly when the HND programme is pursued at a different institution.
Oloyede further criticised certain “Daily Part-Time” HND programmes, describing them as exploitative, and noted that graduates from such unconventional schemes are often rejected by the NYSC, preventing them from being 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.
