Difference Between NYSC Discharge Certificate, Exemption And Exclusion Letter

As a graduate of any recognized tertiary institution either in Nigeria or abroad, you can be issued any of the NYSC Discharge Certificates, Exemption Certificates, or Exclusion Letters. Though, most people does not know the differences among the official merits issued to B.Sc and HND graduates by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Differences Between NYSC Discharged, Exemption and Exclusion Certificates

The most popular one which people are familiar with is the discharge certificate which is usually awarded to corpers at the end of the one-year compulsory service. 

NYSC Discharge Certificate

This is the first and the most popular official certificate issued to corps members after completing the one-year compulsory service. This means they have registered for NYSC mobilization on the online registration portal, took part in the three-week camping activities, and served at the Primary Place of Assignment (PPA) where he or she was posted for the past 12 months.

At the end of the one-year serve, the NYSC organizes a passing ceremony, during the celebration, the corpers are presented with the NYSC discharge certificate.

NYSC Exemption Certificate

This is an official merit given to graduate who could not participate in the one-year compulsory service. Such graduate could not be mobilized due to age factors. 

An exemption certificate is issued to someone who by law, his or her age does not let them participate in the NYSC scheme despite the fact that such person attended a regular program in a University or Polytechnic program and graduated. 

NYSC by law disallows graduates above the age of 30 to take part in the one-year programme of service. Hence, instead of giving them a Discharge certificate (for the served ones), they are presented with Exemption Certificates.

By law I mean, in the National Youth Service Corps Decree 1993 section 2 subsection (1) it is stipulated that;

“With effect from 1st August, 1985, a person shall NOT be called on to serve in the service corps if, at the date of graduation or obtaining his diploma or other professional qualification”:

• He/She is over the age of thirty (30) years

• He/She has served in the Armed Forces of the Federation or the

• Nigeria Police Force for a period of more than nine months; or

• He/She is a member of staff of any of the following:

• The Nigerian Security Organization or

• The State Security Service, or

• The National Intelligence Agency or

• The Defence Intelligence Service

• He/She has been conferred with any National Honour.

Meanwhile, any graduate who falls under this any of these categories must equally register for the NYSC mobilization but will not be mobilized.

The exemption certificate will be delivered to the school. The affected graduates should go to their institutions after three (3) months and collect their Exemption Certificates.

Exclusion Certificate / Letter of Exclusion

The letter of exclusion is awarded to graduates who did a part-time programme or sandwich in any university, polytechnic or distance learning, etc. It doesn’t matter whether affected graduate is within the serve age (below 30) or not. Once you did not graduate with regular full-time course, accept admission on the JAMB Caps or did JAMB regularization for NYSC mobilization, you will be presented with an exclusion letter when you graduated.

However, graduates who fall under this category must equally register for NYSC mobilization on the online registration portal. They will be required to make payment for the N3,000 as exclusion fee.

When NYSC starts mobilizing perspective serving corps members, the exclusion certificate will be available for printing on the NYSC dashboard. The certificate should be printed in color to be recognized as original and official.