शासकीय तंत्रनिकेतन,अहमदनगरNATIONAL SERVICE SCHEME
In India, the idea of involving students in the task of national service dates back to the times of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. The central theme which he tried to impress upon his student audience time and again, was that they should always keep before them, their social responsibility. The first duty of the students should be, not to treat their period of study as one of the opportunities for indulgence in intellectual luxury, but for preparing themselves for final dedication in the service of those who provided the sinews of the nation with the national goods and services so essential to society. Advising them to form a living contact with the community in whose midst their institution is located, he suggested that instead of undertaking academic research about economic and social disability, the students should do “something positive so that the life of the villagers might be raised to a higher material and the moral level .
The University Grants Commission headed by Dr. Radhakrishnan recommended introduction of national service in the academic institutions on a voluntary basis with a view to developing healthy contacts between the students and teachers. The idea was again considered by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) at its meeting held in January, 1950. In 1959, a draft outline of the scheme was placed before the Education Minister’s Conference. In 1960, at the instance of the Government of India, Prof. K.G. Saiyidain studied national service by students implemented in several countries of the world and submitted his report under the title “National Service for the Youth” to the Government with a number of recommendations as to what could be done in India to develop a feasible scheme of social service by students. The Education Commission headed by Dr. D.S. Kothari (1964-66) recommended that students at all stages of education should be associated with some form of social service. The Vice Chancellors’ Conference in September, 1969 welcomed this recommendation and suggested that a special committee of Vice Chancellors could be set up to examine this question in detail. Planning Commission sanctioned an outlay of Rs. 5 crores for National Service Scheme (NSS) during the Fourth Five Year Plan. On September 24, 1969, the then Union Education Minister Dr. V.K.R.V. Rao, launched the NSS programme in 37 universities covering all States and simultaneously requested the Chief Ministers of States for their cooperation and help. The principle of the programme is that it is organised 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 or employment in any organisation at the end of their university career.
The broad objectives of NSS are to
understand the community in which they work
understand themselves in relation to their community
identify the needs and problems of the community and involve them in problem solving process
develop among themselves a sense of social and civic responsibility
utilize their knowledge in finding practical solution to individual and community problems
develop competence required for group living and sharing of responsibilities
gain skills in mobilizing community participation
acquire leadership qualities and democratic attitude
develop capacity to meet emergencies and natural disasters
practice national integration and social harmony.
NSS Day
NSS was formally launched on 24th September, 1969, the birth centenary year of the Father of the Nation. Therefore, 24 September is celebrated every year as NSS Day with appropriate programmes and activities.
Classification of NSS Programme
NSS activities have been divided in two major groups. These are regular NSS activities and special camping programme – (a) Regular NSS Activity: Under this, students undertake various programmes in the adopted villages, college/school campuses and urban slums during week ends or after college hours; (b) Special Camping Programme: Under this, camps of 10 days duration are organised in adopted villages or urban slums during vacations with some specific projects by involving local communities.
Orientation of NSS volunteers:
Campus Work: The NSS volunteers may be involved in the projects undertaken for the benefit of the institution and students concerned. Such projects cover development of play grounds, laying of gardens, tree plantation in the premises, awareness programmes on drug-abuse, AIDS, population education and other projects.
Institutional work: The students may be placed with selected voluntary organisations working for the welfare of women, children, aged and disabled outside the campus.
Rural Project: The rural projects generally include the working of NSS volunteers in adopted villages for eradication of illiteracy, watershed management and wasteland development, agricultural operations, health, nutrition, hygiene, sanitation, mother and child care, family life education, gender justice, development of rural cooperatives, savings drives, construction of rural roads, campaign against social evils etc.
Urban Projects: In addition to rural projects other include adult education, welfare of slum dwellers, training in civil defence, traffic control, setting up first-aid posts, work in hospitals, orphanages, destitute home, environment, population education, drug, AIDS awareness, and income generation projects etc. Professional and technical institutions having NSS may have to design appropriate programmes for the community based on the needs.
Natural calamities and National Emergencies: The NSS units are expected to utilize the services of NSS volunteers at the time of natural calamities and national emergencies for mobilizing public support and rendering necessary assistance to the authorities in rescue, relief and rehabilitation.
National Days and Celebrations: The National Service Scheme programmes also include the celebration of National days.
NSS PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES:
NSS regular activities in adopted Villages, Slums and with Voluntary Organisations
NSS volunteers generally work with villages, slums and voluntary agencies to complete 120 hours of regular activities during an academic year. As the NSS volunte4er is to live with the members of the community and learn from their experience during his/her tenure in NSS, the village/slum should be carefully selected for adoption by NSS unit.
NSS Units
NSS UNIT IN GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC AHMEDNAGAR:
From 2018, there is one unit in our institute which isfunctioning on self financial basis. Initially total number of NSS volunteers were 50.
In 2018 , the institute has conducted number of activities . The institute has also conducted one day “ SHEEBIR “ at village Imampur, Tal Nagar Dist Ahmednagar. In this one day programme, the students have cleaned the village roads and the nerby area. The cleanliness activity was undertaken by NSS volunteers. The volunteers also undertaken the programme, introduction to internet and online activities for adults of the village. The photographs of the same are attached below.
In 2019, the volunteers of NSS conducted number of activities which includes tree plantation, cleanliness in the institute, blood donation camp etc. In this year also the volunteers conducted one day “ SHEEBIR “ at village Kapurwadi, Tal Nagar Dist Ahmednagar. In this one day sheebir, the students have undertaken the cleanliness activity and construction of small vanarai bandhara. The photograph of bandhara is shown below. The lady volunteers also conducted the programme for villagers which was introduction to internet and online activities.
In July 2021, even though the education was online, the students of this institute were advsed to plant the trees near by their homes. In this activity also nearly 25 to 30 students have participated actively and planted the trees. In this way in online mode also the activities were going on.
From academic year, 2022-2023, the Joint Director of Technical Education directed the institute to increase the number of volunteers from 50 to 100. Hence from this academic year the number of students enrolled for volunteers is 100. In this year also we have conducted number of activities which includes cleanliness activity in the institute, distribution of masks for safety, tree plantation, run for unity on the occasion of 75 years of independence and run for unity on 31st October. The activities are more but here the reports and photographs are given for selected activities
