Development of the personality of students
through community service.
The cardinal principle of the
program is that it is organized
by the students themselves and
both students and teachers through
their combined participation
in social service get a sense
of involvement in the tasks
of national development. Besides
the students, particularly,
obtain work-experience, which
might help them to find avenues
of self-employment in any organization
at the end of their university
career.
ABOUT NATIONAL SERVICE SCHEME
The National Service Scheme is primarily stands
for channalising the students youth for building
the nation. The youth in all ages has been in
the vanguard of progress and social change,
thirst for freedom, impatience for quicker pace
of progress and a passion for innovation, coupled
with idealism and creative fervor, saw the youth
in the forefront of the freedom struggle in
our own land. If our youth was inspired by the
call of the Father of the Nation in the first
half of this century, the youth of today faces
the challenge of economic development and technological
progress with social justice.
Ever since independence there has been growing
awareness of the desirability of involving students
in National Service. The first Education
Commission (1950) recommended the introduction
of national service by students on a voluntary
basis. Subsequently on the basis of suggestion
made by the then Prime Minister pt. Nehru, a
committee was appointed under the chairmanship
pf Dr. C D Deshmukh to prepare a scheme for
compulsory national service by youth in several
countries, recommended that national service
may be introduced on a voluntary basis.
A similar recommendation was made by the Education
Commission appointed under the Chairmanship
of Dr. D S Kothari.
In April 1967, the Conference of State Education
Ministers recommended that at the University
stage, students could be permitted to join the
national Cadet Corps which was already in existence
on a voluntary basis and an alternative to this
could be offered to them in the form of a new
programme called the National service Scheme
(NSS). Promising sportsmen, however, should
be exempted from both and allowed to join another
scheme called National Sports Organization (NSO),
in view of the need to give priority to the
development of sports and athletics.
The conference of Vice-Chancellors in September
1967 welcomed this recommendation and suggested
that a social committee of Vice Chancellors
should be sent up to examine this question in
detail. The details were soon worked out
and the planning Commission sanctioned on outlay
of Rs. 5 crore for developing the NSS during
the 4th Five Year Plan as a pilot
project in selected institution and universities.
In pursuance of these recommendations, the Ministry
of Education introduced National Service Scheme
during 1969-70. The choice of the timing
of its introduction was remarkably auspicious
as 1969 was the birth centenary year of Mahatma
Gandhi, the father of Nation to whom social
service was almost a religion.
The response of students to the scheme has been
excellent. Starting with an enrollment
of 40,000 students in 1969, the coverage of
NSS students has increased every year.
Now the strength of NSS is 27% of the total
student population in the country.
The scheme now extends to all the states and
universities in the country. Students,
teachers, parents, guardians, persons in authority
in government, universities and colleges and
the people in general now realize the need and
significance of NSS. It has aroused among
the students and youth an awareness of the realities
of life, a better understanding and appreciation
of the problems of the people. NSS is,
thus a concrete attempt in making education
relevant to the needs of the society.
To render Service to the
community along with the regular
education.
To develop a sense of social
responsibility among the youth.
To apply the education obtained
in finding practical solutions to
individuals and community problems.
To provide an opportunity to
work creatively and constructively
around the educational campus.
To understand the community in
which they work.
To understand themselves in
relation to their community.
To develop competence required
for group living and sharing
responsibility.
To gain leadership qualities and
democratic attitude.
To develop the capacity to face
emergencies and natural disasters.
To acquire skills in mobilizing
community participation.
To help personal growth and
leadership qualities in youth.
To promote cultural and social
values among the public.
