By BONIFACE AKARAH

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has directed that Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates seeking registration for national service must present evidence of completing the mandatory one-year Industrial Training (IT) after their National Diploma (ND) programme before they can be registered at orientation camps.

According to a circular signed by Director of Corps Mobilisation, Isa Walida Siddique, for the Director-General of the NYSC, the scheme said it had observed that some graduates of polytechnics and monotechnics were proceeding to HND programmes without completing the compulsory one-year Industrial Training. It stated that the new requirement is aimed at preserving the integrity of Nigeria’s educational system and announced that affected prospective corps members would be required to present proof of completing the training before registration at orientation camps.

“It has been noticed in recent times that some graduates of Polytechnics and Monotechnics do not observe the mandatory one-year Industrial Training before being admitted for the Higher National Diploma (HND) programme,” the circular stated.

The NYSC said the directive would apply to all prospective corps members holding Higher National Diploma qualifications, warning that failure to provide evidence of the mandatory Industrial Training would affect registration at orientation camps.

“Prospective Corps Members who are HND graduates will be required to present evidence of the completion of the one-year Industrial Training before being registered at the NYSC Orientation Camps,” the scheme said.

The circular, addressed to Rectors and Provosts of Polytechnics and Monotechnics through their Registrars, urged institutions to immediately sensitise students on the new requirement to prevent avoidable setbacks during mobilisation.

“You are please requested to give this information the widest publicity among your students to forestall a situation where they will be denied registration at the NYSC Orientation camp,” the NYSC added.

The directive was contained in a circular dated July 15, 2026, and referenced NYSC/DHQ/CM/M/347/T.74, with institutions directed to ensure that prospective HND graduates are adequately informed before reporting for national service.

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