Are you a graduate eager to embark on the journey of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Nigeria? As you prepare for this phase of your life, understanding how NYSC calculates the age limit for mobilization becomes paramount.
The NYSC age limit is currently set at thirty (30) years, and it prays a role in determining your eligibility to participate in the mandatory one-year national service scheme. Graduates who are older than 30 are not eligible for NYSC mobilization but may be granted a certificate of exemption instead.
The age limit is a factor in ensuring that participants align with the objectives of the NYSC program, fostering unity, reconciliation, and integration among Nigerian youths who graduated before the specified age limit. The article aims to elucidate how NYSC calculates the age limit for mobilization, as understanding this process is important for determining one’s eligibility status
NYSC Age Limit for Mobilization
Please be informed that the age limit for NYSC is thirty (30) years. Any graduate who is above 30 years of age cannot participate in the National Youth Service Corps Program. However, such a graduate will be given a Certificate of Exemption.
The NYSC exemption should not be seen negatively, as the Certificate of Exemption is equivalent to the Discharge Certificate. The only things missed if exempted are the NYSC monthly allowance and service experience. You may also want to check NYSC senate list for all batches.
When Does NYSC Exempt Graduates From Service?
1. When the person exceeds the age of 30 years, or
2. If the person has served in the Nigerian military or paramilitary for one year or more, or
3. When the person is physically ‘disabled.’
Note: If you are a part-time graduate (CEP), an exclusion letter will be given to you. Note that the Exclusion Letter is less than the discharge certificate, but the certificate of exemption is equal to the discharge certificate.
Purpose of NYSC
Understanding the purpose of NYSC will help you know why there is an age limit on the scheme. NYSC is a scheme established by the Federal Govt of Nigeria after the civil war with the primary aim of fostering unity, reconciliation, rebuilding, and reintegrating Nigerians. Those eligible for this service are Nigerian youths who graduated from Universities and Polytechnics within or outside Nigeria before the age of 30.
If someone graduated before 30 years but did not serve for various reasons and now has attained 40 years, the person is still eligible to serve since he/she graduated before 30 years.
How NYSC Calculates Age Limit for Mobilization
NYSC looks into the information submitted to JAMB, and pick the date of birth from the record to calculate the age limit of a prospective corps member. They check your age at the time you graduated from the higher institution. If you are above 30 years at the time of graduation, a letter of exemption will be given.
NYSC is sensitive to days. For instance, if you exceed 30 years by just one day, you are likely to be exempted from the National Youth Service program. In the past, NYSC obtained students’ dates of birth from Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs). However, due to some schools manipulating graduates’ ages, the scheme now relies on JAMB for more reliable information.
If a candidate claims a mistake in their date of birth submitted to JAMB, NYSC can confirm it by checking their O-level details from the West African Examination Council.
Please note that the date of graduation is officially written on your Degree or HND Certificate. The graduation date is not the date of your final exam or project defense but the date your Degree or HND is awarded.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many times does NYSC mobilize graduates every year?
NYSC usually takes 3 Batches every year; Batch A, B, and C. If the number of registered graduates is higher than expected for a Batch, NYSC would split the Batch into ‘Stream 1 & 2’ for logistic reasons.
2. How many graduates are mobilized for each Batch or Stream?
The number may vary, but it is roughly 40,000 graduates for each Batch.
3. Is there any age limit for NYSC participation?
Yes, the age limit is 30 years. Anyone exceeding 30 years will not take part in the National Youth Service Corps but will be awarded a certificate of exemption.
Thank you for reading; if you have questions or contributions, kindly drop them in the comment section below.
Pls! Sir, how can I see the date of birth on my JAMB 2015 this is because I was loom about it
Pls! Sir, how can I see the date of birth on my JAMB this is because I was loom about it
I made a mistake for registered in my portal I register with wrong date of birth and I take my waec correction and still not approved so I when I come with all my document to the Nysc I can save
How it will be if this civid-19 caused the additional of a year to the students ? And may be he’ll clock 30 by then …
Graduated dec 2018 but couldn’t register for NYSC due to illness * and I turned 30 in April 2020* will I still be allowed to serve?
I made a mistake on my date of birth, I have do the correction of date of birth in jamb office and summited it to my school, hope jamb will approve it?
I finished my exams November 2019 and my date of birth is 12/08/1990.my school has yet to release our result.will I still be able to go for nysc
Wait until your school release your result so you can know date of graduation that will help us determine your eligibility.
Yes you can go for NYSC because they would look at your expected year of graduation which is 2019 and by the said 2019 you are not up to 30years.
Please on behalf of the Nigeria youths us that are below 30 and those that are above we are begging the federal government to turn the age of service to 35 years many people want to serve not because of the money but to gain more experience but because of the issue of over age they won’t have the opportunity, please I know I’m nobody but I’m begging on behalf of those who want to serve but over age did not allow them.The federal government should please help and add the age of service to 35 years Please.
I Graduated in September 2019, which is written as the year of result, but we are yet to mobilize and I will clock 30,by December 21,this year.hope I don’t have problem, my date of birth is 21/12/1990.
You will serve
What is the case for a medical student that graduated from school before clocking 30 but had to do the compulsory housemanship for a year after which he would be mobilized…but by then,he will already be above 30 yrs old… Will he be exempted from serving
He is qualified to serve since he graduated before 30 years
Sir please I graduated from University of Cape coast Ghana (2018), at that time I was (28yrs). But due some reason I decided to stay back in Accra Ghana to do some part time work, now I’m 30yrs old. Please will I be allowed to serve.
Yes, you will serve provided you graduated before 30 yrs
hello sir my date of birth is 1988 while I graduated 2013 and I got my result this 2020,I’m I still qualified for nysc?
You will serve since you graduated before 30 years
I graduated 21/12/2019 and d date writing on my result is 24/1/2020 and my date of birth is 13/3/1990,pls can I serve this year? Pls urgent reply pls
Federal Government need to balance stuff of exemption letter by paying people who collect it, to justify them waiting till when their certificate are ready..
I graduated at the age of 29 years and i will clock 30 years July 15th. Can I still serve?
Yes, you will serve since you graduated before 30
I graduated 24/01/2020, and my date of birth is 13/3/1990, pls can I still b eligible to serve this year by first batch or second batch pls?
I made a very big mistake for not correcting my date of birth on my NYSC portal until I was given my discharge certificate few days ago with the wrong dob on it, is there any hope of getting it rectified ? What can I do please, anyone
Nothing else to do
How do I know when my certificate of exemption is ready for collection? And how long will it take for the certificate to ready for collection from the date of registration? Do I need any online registration for my exempted certificate to be processed?
Read this article NYSC exemption letter requirements and how to get it
My date of birth is 1989 as supplied to JAMB. While I mistakenly submitted 2019 as my graduation year instead of 2018. I am currently being issued exception certificate. Please any hope of serving for me? If YES how do I go about it?
My date of birth is 1992 but d date of birth on my jamb is 1988 pls what can I do but I graduated 2019 can still serve
Sir plz help me explain we graduated 24 January 2020 that is what dey write for our results but dey never mobilize yet while my date of birth is 02/02/1990 plz can I served
I graduated 29 years and 11 months, and my school is still making our exam script. And I will be 30years next month. Can I still still serve?
Yes, you will serve