This scheme is under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India and NSS cell, Higher and technical education, Govt. of Maharashtra.
NSS volunteers undertake various activities in adopted villages and slums for community service, Duration of these services is 120 hours. The NSS Units organize the regular activities as detailed below :
Orientation of NSS Volunteers :
To get the NSS volunteers acquainted with the basics of NSS programmes, 20 hours are allocated for their orientation through lectures, discussions, field visits, and audio-visuals etc.
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. The NSS volunteers may work on campus projects for not exceeding 30 hours in a year.
The remaining 70 hours will be utilised for community service on the projects in adopted villages/urban slums independently or in collaboration with others in this field, as detailed below.
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(a) Institutional work :
The students may be placed with selected voluntary organisations working .for the welfare of women, children, aged and disabled outside the campus.
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(b) 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.
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(C) Natural calamities .& National Emergencies :
The NSS units are expected to utilise the services of NSS volunteers at the time of natural calamities and national emergencies for mobilising public support and rendering necessary assistance to the authorities in rescue, relief and rehabilitation. In such emergencies and calamities the Programme Officers are expected to take the initiative and offer the services of the NSS units and its volunteers to assist the administration.
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(d) National Days and Celebrations:
The National Service Scheme programmes also include the celebration of National days. The purpose of such a provision is to celebrate such occasions in a befitting manner.
National Programmes :
In the development of any nation , certain programmes assumes special relevance in view of problems existing or anticipated. In our country, three such programmes have been launched . They are the Mass Programme of Functional Literacy, AIDS Awareness Programme and Sustainable development with emphasis on Watershed Management & Wasteland Development. It is pertinent to mention here that NSS Volunteers have come forward with zeal to make these programmes a great success.
