The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board will henceforth oversee all Higher National Diploma (HND) admissions in polytechnics, allied institutions, colleges of nursing sciences and colleges of health technology across Nigeria.
The National Board for Technical Education disclosed this in a circular dated September 9, 2026, signed by its Executive Secretary, Prof Idris Bugaje, and addressed to rectors and provosts of affected institutions.
The directive followed a meeting between the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and key stakeholders, including JAMB, the National Youth Service Corps, NBTE, and the Federal Ministry of Education.
Under the new arrangement, HND admissions will be processed centrally through JAMB from the current academic session.
The NBTE said the measure was designed to tackle irregular admissions, ensure that students were admitted only into accredited programs, and prevent problems with NYSC mobilization after graduation.
“All HND admissions in all institutions shall, from this session, be taken over by JAMB to provide a centralized process and avoid illegal and compromised admissions, jeopardizing students’ mobilization for NYSC after HND. The FME shall issue a statement on this next week with further details,” the circular stated.
It added that NBTE would develop guidelines for HND admissions and submit them to JAMB to facilitate the development of a digital admission platform.
“NBTE shall immediately develop HND Admission Guidelines and submit to JAMB to guide the digital platform for the admission, including the waiting period for ND holders before proceeding to HND and exemption for certain ND Health-related programs,” the circular stated.
JAMB’s Head of Media and Information, Fabian Benjamin, confirmed that the board would comply with the directive.
“It’s a directive from above and ours is to comply to ensure that the good intentions of the government are achieved,” he told PUNCH Online.
The development comes against the backdrop of persistent concerns over irregular admissions and the subsequent difficulties some polytechnic graduates face during NYSC mobilization.
In March, the NBTE attributed delays in the mobilization of some polytechnic graduates to institutions’ failure to comply with academic requirements, including the mandatory one-year Industrial Training between the National Diploma and HND programs.
The board had also previously developed an HND admission system to ensure that candidates were admitted to accredited programs and that their academic records could be verified for NYSC purposes.
Part-time admissions are capped at 50 percent
The new directive also limits part-time admissions.
According to the circular, with all part-time National Diploma admissions now under JAMB, the number of part-time students in each institution must not exceed 50 percent of its approved full-time admission quota.
The NBTE also reaffirmed its September 7 directive prohibiting the presentation of candidates with an NCE/HND combination for NYSC mobilization.
Under the arrangement, holders of the Nigeria Certificate in Education who seek HND admission must first obtain a National Diploma. They may then gain admission into an HND program through “direct admission” via JAMB.
Only ND and HND certificates will be recognized for NYSC mobilization in such cases.
The board also said the Minister of Education would review the list of ND agriculture-related programs whose candidates are exempted from the written Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
NBTE is expected to submit on the matter, while the Committee of Heads of Nigerian Polytechnics and Similar Institutions will provide input.
Institutions face sanctions
The NBTE directed rectors and provosts to comply strictly with the new rules, warning that violations would attract “appropriate regulatory sanctions, including withdrawal of operational license.”
The board said the centralized system would ensure that admissions were issued only for accredited programs and within institutions’ approved carrying capacities.
“With digitization, there shall be no hiding place for illegal admissions,” it said.
The Federal Government is expected to issue further details on the policy’s implementation this week.
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