Rules of Thumb for the 2017 Batch A Registration exercise.

To all PCM (Prospective Corps Member), as the 2017 Batch A registration exercise commences tomorrow being the 20th of April. We wish you the very best and a successful registration exercise. Please, as a matter of great concern, take note of the following as it will definitely keep you from serious challenges during and after the registration exercise both on the portal and the orientation camp of the state you will be deployed to. The rules are as follow:

1. Do not allow the person assisting you with registration attempt to use his/her thumb on the biometric scanner, in the name of testing. If the device is not capturing your finger print, unplug the scanner and plug it back, close the registration tab and login again. We have actually had issues like that, where a so called cyber cafe attendant finger print was captured since the PCM's finger print was not responding. The truth is this, I did not register her in camp, because the first registration process in camp involves finger print verification. I think a word is a enough for a wise.
2. Do not proceed to make payment in the bank without getting to the point of making paymnt on the portal (http://portal.nysc.org.ng). Actually, the portal uses your email address as a unique identity to recognised your payment made through Remita payment gateway in the bank. PCMs last year hurriedly made payment with email address they hadn't access to for months. When they were about to commenced the registration on the portal, a verification link was sent their email addresses respectively. But they couldn't gain access to their email because they had forgotten the password. Hence, the money was lost and they had to create a new email account and make a fresh payment.
3. Use a white background passport photograph that reveals your handsome/beautiful face and chest
4. Very important, ensure you check your DOB (Date Of Birth), immediately you get to the personal data page on the portal. Some female PCMs' date of birth was deliberately uploaded erroneously by the officer in charge of corps members mobilization of an institution in Abia state, name of institution withheld. Owing to the fact that he asked them out and the refused, you should understand what I mean, no further explanation there. So, as his way of frustrating them, he did that so that they can be exempted from the service year, because they were over aged. While others will be getting discharge certificate, they will be getting exemption certificate. Though, the male PCMs were not left out in this mess. Please, ensure you check your DOB for its correctness. Subsequent updates  will cover in details,  Exception certificate, discharge certificate and exclusion letter, its advantages and disadvantages.
5. Please, do not be in hurry in registering, stream 1 and stream 2 is randomly done and not based on the time you completed the registration exercise. I will strongly advise you do the registration yourself and only go to the a business center for the biometric capture if you don't have the device. This will enable able you take your time and read every information carefully before filling the form on the portal.
6. Do not use someone else matriculation number during the registration exercise, we have had issues like that, though I can't start narrating it right here.
7. Most preferrably, use your ATM card (Master or Verve) to make the payment when you get to stage of making payment. Note that, you cannot print your green card without making payment. If you rather use Remita to make the payment in the bank and it does not reflect, do not panic, I will drop a link and show you how to solve these problem.
8. Married PCMs should upload their, marriage certificate, husband's appointment letter or letter of identification from employer or community leader, Newspaper change of name, NEPA BILL, National Identity card or Voter's card or International passport. If you want to be deployed to the state he is currently working or residing.
9. For PCMs with medical issues, under the Select health status option, select 'Poor'. You will be prompted to upload your medical report, you can make reference to the previous update on A-Z of 2017 Batch B Deployment and Relocation for more information. Please, do not upload fake medical report, we will know.
10. Decide in your heart, the four states of your choice, note that you must choose two northern states.

I will be dropping more updated list before the day runs out, to arm you better before the registration exercise. Comments and contributions are highly welcome.
I will be Opening the comment area to respond to some of the problems and challenges you will be experiencing tomorrow. Though, I will help some of you solve some online portal, if I am not too busy. Have a nice day.