National
Service Committee was launched in the year 1959-60 under the chairmanship of
Dr. C. D. Deshmukh, had recommended that National Service for a period of 9
months to a year should be made compulsory before a student enters the
university or employment. The Saiyidain committee (1961) Appointed by the
ministry of education did not favour compulsion and recommended National or
Social Service for a minimum period of 12 weeks on a voluntary basis.
The
National Service Scheme was launched in 1969. It aims at the involvement mainly
of undergraduate students on a voluntary basis in various activities of social
serviced and national development which while making a contribution to
socio-economic progress would also provide opportunities to the students to
understand and appreciate the problems of the communities, awaken social
consciousness and inculcate in them sense of dignity of labour. There has been
a great deal of enthusiasm among the students in various programmers taken up
under the scheme. At the same time, there has been a demand from several
quarters that opportunity should be provided to the youth going out of the
universities and colleges to engage themselves on a whole time basis for a
specific period in activities of social and national service. Some attempts in
this direction have been made in some states during last few years.
The
post-independence era was marked by an urge for introducing social service for
students, both as a measure of educational reform and as a means to improve the
quality of educated man-power. 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 on the one hand and establishing a
constructive linkage between the campus and the community on the other hand.
The
idea was again considered by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) at
its meeting held in January, 1950. After examining the various aspects of the
matter and in the light of experience of other countries in this field, the
Board recommended that students should devote some time to manual work on a
voluntary basis and that the teachers should also associate with them in such
work. In the draft First Five Year Plan adopted by the Government of India in
1952, the need for social and labour service for students for one year was
further stressed. Consequent upon this, layout and social service camps,
campus-work projects, village apprenticeship scheme etc., were put into
operation by various educational institutions. In 1958, the then Prime Minister
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in his letter to the Chief Ministers, mooted the idea
of having social service as a prerequisite for graduation. He further directed
the Ministry of Education to formulate a suitable scheme for introduction of national
service into the academic institutions.
In
1959, a draft outline of the scheme was placed before the Education Minister's
Conference. The Conference was unanimous about the urgent need for trying out a
workable scheme for national service. In view of the fact that education as it
was imparted in schools and colleges, left something to be desired and it was
necessary to supplement it with programmes which would arouse interest in the
social and economic reconstruction of the country. It was viewed that if the
objectives of the scheme were to be realised, it was essential to integrate
social service with the educational process as early as possible. The
Conference suggested the appointment of a committee to work out details of the
proposed pilot project. In pursuance of these recommendations, a National
Service Committee was appointed under the Chairmanship of Dr.C.D.Deshmukh on
August 28, 1959 to make concrete suggestions in this direction. The committee
recommended that national service for a period of nine months to a year may be
made compulsory for all students completing high school education and intending
to enroll themselves in a college or a university. The scheme was to include
some military training, social service, manual labour and general education.
The recommendations of the Committee could not be accepted because of its
financial implications and difficulties in implementation.
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. It
was recommended that national or social service should be introduced on a
voluntary basis and extended as widely as possible with a provision for rich
and varied programmes of activities. It was also recommended that social
service camps should be open to students as well as non-students within the
prescribed age group for better interrelationship.
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. This was taken into account by the State Education Ministers during
their conference in April 1969 and they recommended that at the university
stage, students could be permitted to join the National Cadet Corps (NCC) which
was already in existence on a 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 the National Sports Organisation
(NSO), in view of the need to give priority to the development of sports and
athletics.
The
Vice-Chancellor's Conference in September,1967 welcomed this recommendation and
suggested that a special committee of Vice-Chancellors could be set up to
examine this question in detail. In the statement of national policy on
education of the Government of India, it was laid down that work experience and
national service should be an integral part of education. In national service should
be an integral part of education. In may, 1969, conference of the student's
representatives of the universities and institutions of higher learning
convened by the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission also
Unanimously declared that national service could be a powerful instrument for
national integration. It could be used to introduce urban students to rural
life. Projects of permanent value could also be undertaken as a symbol of the
contribution of the student community to the progress and upliftment of the
nation.
The
details were soon worked out and the Planning Commission sanctioned an outlay
of Rs.5 crores for National Service Scheme (NSS) during the Fourth Five Year
Plan. It was stipulated that the NSS programme should be started as a pilot
project in select institutions and universities.
On September 24, 1969, the then Union Education Minister Dr.V.K.R.V.Raio, launched the NSS programme in 37 universities covering all States and simultaneously requested the Chief Ministers of States for their cooperation and held. It was appropriate that the programme was started during the Gandhi Centenary Year as it was Gandhiji who inspired the Indian Youth to participate in the movement for Indian independence and the social uplift of the down-trodden masses of our nation. The programme is implemented effectively in the State of Tamil Nadu since its inception.
Objectives behind the NSS:
NSS Charter:
The NSS at Kits provides each student with a significant context in which He/She can arrive at a deeper understanding of social reality in India today. The NSS encourages the meaning of the life through service.
NSS Motto:
The motto or watchword of the National Service Scheme is 'NOT ME BUT YOU'. This reflects the essence of democratic living and upholds the need for selfless service and appreciation of the other person's point of view and also to show consideration for fellow human beings. It underlines that the welfare of an individual is ultimately dependent on the welfare of society on the whole. Therefore, it should be the aim of the NSS to demonstrate this motto in its day-to-day programme.
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.
NSS Logo:
The symbol of the National Service Scheme is based on the ' Rath ' wheel of the Konark Sun Temple situated in Orissa. These giant wheels of the Sun Temple portray the cycle of creation, preservation and release, and signify the movement in life across time and space. The design of the symbol, a simplified form of the Sun-chariot wheel primarily depicts movement. The wheel signifies the progressive cycle of life. It stands for continuity as well as change and implies the continuous striving of NSS for social transformation and upliftment.
NSS Badge:
The NSS symbol is embossed on the NSS badge. The NSS
volunteers wear it while undertaking any programme of community service. The
Konark wheel in the symbol has eight bars which represent the 24 hours of the
day. Hence, the badge reminds the wearer to be in readiness for service of the
nation round the clock i.e. for 24 hours. The Red colour in the badge indicates
that the NSS volunteers are full of bold i.e. lively, active energetic and full
of high spirit. The navy blue colour indicates the cosmos of which the NSS is a
tiny part, ready to contribute its share for the welfare of the mankind.
NSS Navigations 
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