The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has stated that it is not responsible for admissions into Higher National Diploma programmes or for the inability of some graduates to be mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps.
The Registrar of JAMB, Is-haq Oloyede, made this clarification during a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Polytechnic Students, led by Eshofune Paul Oghayan.
The explanation was contained 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 challenges being mobilised for the NYSC scheme.
Normally, eligibility for NYSC requires that a candidate must have studied full-time for their highest qualification. However, irregular admission processes, including part-time ND classifications or admissions that were not properly processed, may result in rejection or the issuance of exemption certificates rather than mobilisation for national service.
These issues have led to frustration among some polytechnic graduates, with some blaming JAMB for possible data or processing errors.
Addressing the students, Oloyede explained that the Board’s responsibilities are limited to organising examinations and facilitating admissions into first-degree, National Diploma, and Nigerian Certificate in Education programmes. He stressed that the Board does not handle HND admissions.
“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 direct their complaints to the appropriate authorities that oversee such matters.
Oloyede further explained that once students complete their ND programmes and proceed to HND level, the responsibility for admission rests solely with the institutions offering the programme, not JAMB.
He also highlighted that admissions conducted by JAMB are processed through the automated Central Admissions Processing System, known as CAPS.
According to him, CAPS simplifies the admission process, restores the autonomy of institutions, widens admission opportunities, prevents multiple admissions, and promotes transparency.
The registrar warned that any admission carried out outside CAPS is considered invalid.
“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.
He also revealed that some institutions bypass CAPS by admitting more ND students than the quota approved by the National Board for Technical Education.
Such practices, he noted, often create inconsistencies between ND graduates and those who later proceed to HND programmes, especially when the HND is obtained from a different institution.
Oloyede further criticised certain “Daily Part-Time” HND programmes, describing them as exploitative, and noted that graduates from such unconventional programmes are often rejected by NYSC, 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,” Prof. Oloyede advised.
