INTRODUCTION
The Computer Professional Examinations (CPN) (Chartered by Decree 49 of 1993) is being conducted by the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) to provide a platform for continual professional education and interaction in Information Technology, which ensures integrity, confidentiality, and technical expertise in this field.

The examination also gives room to those aspiring to become Computer Professionals but have not been successful in gaining admission into tertiary institutions. NCS and CPN are enjoined to maintain high standards of Ethic as regards to the practice of computing, data processing, information & Communication Technology and related activities.

STAGES OF THE EXAMINATION

There are other sub-categories which are non-professional but related to proficiency and Literacy Certification just like Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Cisco and A++ certification. They include Computer Literary Certificates and Computer Proficiency Certificates/diploma in Computer & Secretarial Practice, Computer Desktop Publishing, Computer utilization, Office Productivity Experts, Website Design Expert, CAD Expert, DTP Expert, Programmer Expert, Systems Audit Expert, PC Maintenance Expert and LAN Expert.

Any interested person willing to acquire recognized practical qualification is free to enter, prepare and write the examinations.

In order to sustain and improve upon the competence and skills needed to attain professionalism in the computing, information and communications technology industry in Nigeria, Council has put in place what is known as Computer Professional Examinations (CPE). The examinations are as follows;
1. Computer Literacy
2. Users Certification Examination
3. Computer Affiliate Examination and
4. Computer Professionals Examination I to III.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR Computer Literacy and Users Certification Examination:
Any interested person (Graduate or non Graduate) willing to acquire recognized practical qualification is free to enter, prepare and write the examinations.

See Contents:
Computer Literacy:
Users Certification Examination:

Computer Affiliate Examination (CAE)

Entry Qualifications for Computer Affiliate Examination (CAE):
Two credit passes in any two subjects and at least two passes in English and Mathematics in WAEC, GCE, NECO, SSCE, NABTEB and its equivalences from recognized institutions.

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Computer Foundation Examinations (CFE)

Entry Qualifications for the Computer Foundation Examinations (CFE):
Five Credit passes in GCE Ordinary Level, Senior Secondary School Certificate, NABTEB and NECO equivalences. The credits must include Mathematics and English Language. A credit Pass in the Computer Affiliate Examination of the CPN examinations will be accepted in place of incomplete GCE or SSSC. The candidate must be a registered student of NCS and must be training in a CPN-accredited Computer Training Institute or departments of computing/engineering in the universities, polytechnics or other approved tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

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Computer Professionals Examinations I (CPE1):

Entry qualification to Computer Professionals Examinations I (CPE1):
i A Pass in the CFE plus one year industrial attachment in Computer or Information Technology backed with a log book signed by a Full Member of NCS/CPN or Credit Pass in a 2-year Diploma/ND granted by a CPN accredited institution.
ii. NCE/ND/Diploma in Computer Science, Information Technology, Management Information Systems, Electrical/Electronics and Computer Engineering, Computer communications and Information Systems obtained from a CPN-Accredited Institutions with a pass plus two or more years relevant experience.
iii. A Pass in the Post-graduate Diploma in Computer Science, Information Technology/Systems or Electronics & Computer Engineering, Communications from a recognized University or CPN- accredited tertiary institutions.
iv. Parts of Professional qualification accepted by Council such as the international recognized chartered qualifications e.g. IDPM/IMIS/BCS/ACM/IEEE considered equivalent to CPE I.
iv) Exemptions will be granted to ND/HND and B.Sc holders other than Computer Science/Information Systems/Information Technology/Electronics and Computer Engineering and Communications on subject-to-subject basis. Holders of MSCSE and related Certifications such as NCS/CPN User Certification Examinations will be granted subject-to-subject exemption and such exemptions must be paid for before the examinations.

Computer Professionals Examinations II (CPE II)

3.1 Entry Qualification for the Computer Professionals Examinations II (CPE II)
i. A Credit Pas in CPE I plus one year relevant Industrial experience OR
ii. A pass in CPE I plus two years relevant Industry experience OR
iii. University/Polytechnic/CPN tertiary accredited Higher Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Higher National Diploma and B.Sc, B.Eng, B.Ed in Computer Science, Electronics and Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Information Technology, Data Processing and Data Communications obtained from CPN accredited institution with at least a Lower Credit/Third Class Division OR
iv. University/Polytechnic/CPN tertiary accredited Higher Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Higher National Diploma and B.Sc, B.Eng, B.Ed in Computer Science, Electronics and Computer Engineering, Information Systems, Information Technology, Data Processing and Data Communications obtained from CPN accredited institution with at least a Pass with one year relevant industrial experience.

Computer Professionals Examinations III (CPE III)

3.2 Entry Qualifications for the Computer Professionals Examinations III (CPE III)
i. Pass in CPE II
Holders of CPN-Accredited HND, HD, 2-year Advanced Diploma, B.Sc, M.Sc, M.Tech, Ph.D. There is no direct admission to the Profession. Applicants to the membership of NCS and CPN must take the final examinations, write a project and successfully defends self during the project defense interview.

See Content CPE I,II & III