Context

Recently, the Vice-President of India interacted with the volunteers of NSS (National Service Scheme), who participated in Republic Day celebrations.

NSS: Full Form, History, Objective, Motto, and Insignia

The full form of NSS is National Service Scheme, and  is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sport, Government of India.

• • The organisation provides opportunity for student youth of 11th & 12th Class of schools and student youth of Technical Institution, Graduate & Post Graduate and University level of India to participate in various Government led community service activities & programmes. 
• Objective: To develop the personality and character of the student youth through voluntary community service. 
• Motto: ‘NOT ME BUT YOU’. 
  • It follows a goal of ‘Education through Service’. 
• Insignia: The volunteers of NSS wear the National Service Scheme badge, which is the Konark wheel having 8 bars signifying the 24 hours of the day.
  • It reminds the wearer to be ready for the service of the nation round the clock i.e. for 24 hours. 
  • The red colour in the badge signifies energy and spirit displayed by the NSS volunteers and the blue colour signifies the cosmos of which the NSS is a tiny part.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Directorate of NSS: It is the Nodal Authority of the National Service Scheme and covers 28 States and 8 UTs across the country.
• Origin and History:
  • 1969: National Service Scheme began in 1969 to mark the birth centenary year of Mahatma Gandhi.
    • The idea was given by Major General Jagannath Rao Bhonsle, and was officially recommended in academic institutions by the UGC.
  • In the first Five-Year Plan adopted by the government in 1952, the need for social and labour service by Indian students for a year was discussed.
  • During a conference of student representatives convened by the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission in 1969, it was unanimously agreed that a national-service scheme could help in national integration.
  • Hence, on 24 September 1969, then the Union Education Minister V.K.R.V. Rao launched the NSS at 37 universities in several states of India. 
• Enrolment:
  • It is a voluntary scheme and enrolment begins from 11th standard. 
    • Volunteers will be enrolled from the first- and second-year degree-class students at the college level.
  • NCC cadets are not allowed to join NSS. Similarly, NSS volunteers cannot join any other youth organisation as long as they are in the National Service Scheme.
  • Foreign students studying in Indian universities are allowed to join the National Service Scheme so that they can share the experiences of national reconstruction and community work.
• Serving Period: A NSS volunteer has to devote a total of 240 hours social service in two years duration. 
  • Every year, the volunteer needs to devote 20 hrs of orientation and 100 hrs of community service.
• Certification: A NSS volunteer is awarded a certificate after successfully completing required hours of service. 
  • This certificate carries a certain weightage.
• NSS Day: Every year on September 24th, the NSS Day is commemorated to honour its founding and the noble mission it stands for.

Administrative Structure of NSS:

• School / college level
  • The grass-root unit in NSS will be a unit at college/+2 level. NSS units will be awarded to an institution according to the strength of students. 
  • The strength of a unit will be 100 NSS volunteers normally. A Programme Officer will be responsible for the organisation of the NSS unit.
• University level
  • An NSS Cell will be housed in every University to supervise and coordinate NSS Programme in Colleges affiliated to it. 
  • Full time Programme Coordinators will be housed in universities having a strength of more than 10000 NSS volunteers. Those having less will have part time programme coordinators.
• State level
  • A State NSS Cell headed by the State Liaison Officer (SLO) will coordinate the programme at the State level. The Government of India provides complete financial assistance for establishing the State National Service Scheme Cell.
• Regional level
  • NSS Regional Centes will be set up in the country to maintain liaison with the State Governments, Universities, +2 Councils and TOC/TORCs for the effective implementation of the NSS Programme.

Activities Performed by NSS

• Blood donation drive
• Cleaning of public places
• Regulating crowds in public events
• Awareness drives for social and education initiatives
• Afforestation activities
• Conducting health camps

Events of NSS

• National Integration Camp (NIC):

• • The National Integration Camp (NIC) is organized every year for a duration of 7 days in different parts of the country.
  • The main objective of the camp is to familiarise volunteers with different cultures and heritages of the country. It also seeks to integrate the nation through social service.

• Adventure Programme: 

• • Adventure camps are held every year in Himalayan Region in the North and Arunachal Pradesh in the North-East region.
  • Activities undertaken in these camps include trekking of mountains, water rafting, Para-sailing and basic skiing.
  • The main objective of the camp is to promote adventure activities among NSS volunteers and also infuse the sense of love towards the various regions of India.
  • The camp also infuses leadership qualities, fraternity, team spirit and risk-taking capacity among NSS volunteers.

• NSS Republic Day Parade Camp:

• • Republic Day parade camp is held every year in Delhi between 1st and 31st January with 200 NSS selected volunteers who are good in discipline, March-past and cultural activities.
  • It provides an opportunity for volunteers to interact with fellow members from various parts of India and experience the tradition, custom, culture, language of all Indian states.

• National Youth Festivals

• • The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports of Government of India conducts National Youth Festivals in collaboration with the State Governments in different parts of the country.
  • The main objective of the festival is to make volunteers aware of the various festivals celebrated in the country and also their cultural importance.
  • Volunteers get the opportunity to interact with guests, speakers and youth icons, who are invited to speak at the event.

Significance of NSS

• Linkage between Campus and Community: It has been developed to establish a meaningful linkage between the campus and the community.
• Involvement of Youth in Community Development: It provides an opportunity for the youth to work for the upliftment of the villages/community.
• Develop Individual Personality: It provides opportunities to students in colleges and universities to improve their personality through community service.
• Solve Community problems: The organisation provides an opportunity for volunteers to find practical solutions to individual and community problems.
• Disaster Management: It helps build capacity among common people to meet emergencies and natural disasters.