The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has again distanced itself from the growing complaints of Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates who are unable to participate in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), insisting that the board plays no role in HND admissions.
According to a bulletin released by the Board on Monday, the Registrar of JAMB, Is-haq Oloyede, a professor, made the clarification during a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) in Abuja.
The board emphasised that it is not responsible for admitting students into HND programmes and therefore has no data to facilitate their mobilisation into the NYSC scheme.
JAMB’s mandate limited to ND, degree admissions
Mr Oloyede explained that JAMB’s statutory mandate is restricted to conducting examinations and processing admissions into first degree, National Diploma (ND), and Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes.
He noted that once students complete their ND programmes and proceed to seek admission into HND programmes, the process is handled solely by the respective polytechnics.
“JAMB only admits candidates into ND programmes. After that stage, when they graduate and apply for HND, the board has no further role because those admissions are conducted by the institutions themselves,” he said.
The registrar therefore advised NAPS, led by Eshofune Oghayan, to direct their grievances to the appropriate authorities responsible for HND admissions.
CAPS abuse by institutions
The registrar further stressed that JAMB conducts admissions into tertiary institutions through its automated platform, the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
He said some institutions undermine the system despite its role in improving transparency and efficiency in the admission process.
According to him, any admission conducted outside CAPS is “null and void”.
The platform, he explained, automates and streamlines admissions, eliminates multiple offers, expands opportunities for candidates, and provides easily retrievable data for policy decisions and research in the education sector.
“CAPS also helps JAMB to refocus on its founding ideals as the Clearing House for admissions in to the tertiary institutions in Nigeria. JAMB has structure; everything we do is recorded. There is nothing we do under the carpet,” he said.
Illegal programmes and NYSC rejection
The registrar also revealed that some polytechnics run illegal or unconventional programmes, including certain part-time HND schemes, which are often rejected by the NYSC during mobilisation.
He criticised what he described as “daily part-time” programmes designed primarily to exploit students.
Mr Oloyede said the problem is further compounded when institutions bypass CAPS to admit more ND candidates than the quota approved by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Such practices, he explained, create discrepancies between ND graduates and their HND records, especially when students obtain the two qualifications from different institutions.
Institutions urged to follow due process
The JAMB registrar disclosed that one polytechnic currently has more than 42,000 cases of illegal admissions it is struggling to resolve.
He urged institutions to adhere strictly to due process to avoid jeopardising students’ academic records and future opportunities.
“If you do things correctly, there will be no problem. On our part, we will continue to render quality service that benefits all stakeholders. Let us do things properly,” he said.
