N.Y.S.C At A Glance!!

THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS

The National Youth Service Corps Decree, No. 24 of 1973 established a scheme under which every Nigerian Citizen who has successfully completed a first degree course at any University is called upon to serve in the National Youth Corps. As at date, graduates who are above thirty years and members of the Armed Forces are exempted from the scheme.
The policy of the Directorate of the National Youth Service Corps is to deploy Graduates for service in States other than their own state of origin. The exceptions to this rule are in respect of married women with family responsibilities, i.e. married women who can produce evidence as well as graduates with proven medical complaints if they can present a doctor’s certificate.

The Objectives of the Scheme are as follows:
a) to inculcate discipline in Nigerian Youths by instilling in them a tradition of industry at work, and of patriotic and loyal service to the Nation wherever they may find themselves.
b) to raise the moral tone by giving them the opportunity to learn about higher ideals of National Achievement and social and Cultural Improvement.
c) to develop in them attitudes of mind, acquired through shared experience and suitable training, which will make them more amenable to Mobilization in the national interest.
d) to develop common ties among them and promote national unity by ensuring that;
i. as far as possible Youths are assigned to jobs in States other than their States of origin;
ii. each group assigned to work together, is as representative of the country as possible;
iii. the Youths are exposed to the modes of living of people in different parts of the country with a view to removing prejudices, eliminating ignorance and confirming at first hand the many similarities among Nigerians of all ethnic groups.
e) to encourage members of the Service corps to seek at the end of their corps service, career employment all over the country thus promoting the free movement of labour.

Call-Up:
Only successful screened students issued with clearance certificates, and whose final year Senate approved results are in the bound copy of the Senate result list sent to the Directorate of National Youth Service Corps Headquarters are the students mobilized and issued with call-up letters for the National Youth Crop Exercise. The letter informs them of their States of deployment and call-up date, that is, the date they are expected to register for National Service at the State capitals. They are paid appropriate traveling allowances which are determined from time to time by the Directorate of the National Youths Service Corps.

Discipline:
Each corps member is guided by a code of conduct and by-laws of the NYSC. Progress reports are rendered quarterly on each Corps Member by the Head of Department under whom he serves. Each Corps Member, on joining the service, is issued with an aide-memoir, the Code of Conduct and the by¬laws. Penalty clauses are provided for contravention of the Code of Conduct and/or By-Laws.