NSS- A WEAPOON TO CONSTRUCT A BETTER SENSIBLE SOCIETY

• Dr.Indrani Basu
• Assistant Professor in Economics
• Berhampore College
• Berhampore, Murshidabad,

• Contact No: 9476405630
• E-mail: anupriyaindrani@gmail.com

For those who have conquered the mind, it is their friend. For those who have failed to do so, the mind works like an enemy.” – BHAGWAT GEETAH 6.6

A human within the society can conquer the mind if that individual gets proper mean of learning. Learning commences from family, but there is no limit of gathering knowledge in one’s lifespan. Process of learning could not stand without education. Education is such a mean that socializes individuals and to keep society smoothing and remain stable. Progress in educational attainment is one of the milestones of a nation’s development. Education provides knowledge and skills to the population, as well as shaping the personality of the youth of a nation.

Scope of education can give a big impact on human opportunity in continuing their quality of life .Our nation-builders thought that independent India must set-up such an educational ambience so that it can enhance one’s capabilities to voice out their views, expose their real potential, lead them to become a better person and widen their views in certain areas.

After independence, the University Grants Commission, headed by S. Radhakrishnan, recommended the introduction of voluntary national service in academic institutions in order to establish that noble concept to build a harmonious and democratic India. It had been argued that students and teachers should devote time to voluntary manual work. According to Jawaharlal Nehru direct involvement into social service should be considered as prerequisite for graduation. Keeping this view in mind, on 24 September 1969, the then Union Education Minister V.K.R.V. Rao launched the NSS at 37 universities in all states of India.

The programme aims to encourage young blood of society, i.e., the students to devote their idle time in social work, and to provide services to society without bias. NSS volunteers work to ensure that everyone who is needy should have some opportunities to enhance their standard of living and live a dignified decent life. Thus the main aim of joining NSS is Personality Development through community services.

Students will get following opportunities by enrolling themselves into this noble scheme:

• They will opt fora journey to discover themselves.
• He or she will learn about their strengths and weaknesses.
• They learn about amazing skills and qualities like leadership and team work among people with different streams.
• Students will get recognition and exposure for their works and talents, whatever may be the contributions and achievements.
• Students will explore different cultural heritage within their society through NSS special camps, state camps, National camps and International Exchange programs.

Students are encouraged to perform extra – curricular activities along with their class room teaching.

• By doing work under this scheme, students will be definitely contributing in building nation.
• Students will learn a lot about participating, performing and organizing an event.
• It capable to enhance public speaking quality of students.
• Finally NSS activities help to be a socially activist and responsible person. Student will learn to stand up different among the crowd.

Students will gain more of above listed things only if they are sincere and dedicated to do work genuinely. It will surely boosts up their knowledge overall.

A student may appear into the following programmes :

1. Students Volunteering
2. Tree plantations
3. Blood donation
4. Cleanliness drives
5. Human Chain formations
6. Adopting one of the villages nearby and contribute in its development.
7. Spreading awareness in society for different issues like sanity, sewage, population, cleanliness, digitalization, diseases, environment, etc.
8. Attending; special village camps (for creating awareness in villages), state level camps (sports, yoga, art & craft camps), National level camps(youth festivals for sports and cultures, Integration camps, Adventure camps, etc.) and International Exchange Programmes (cultural exchange programmes).
9. Teaching unprivileged students and motivating them in adopted village.
10. Celebrating different days like World Environment Day, Womens’ Day, Aids day, etc.
11. Traffic and Voter awareness programmes.
12. Slogans making, poster making, essay writing, art and crafts creation competitions for different issues to create awareness.
13. Teaching about digitalization, Cashless payments and other banking services in adopted village.

There are many other different activities done by NSS students as per their policies and dedication for social work.

Overall we could say that NSS works on different social issues of the community to reform a better society.

Keeping the same views authority of Berhampore College realised the importance of this national scheme and they established NSS unit during mid of 80’s of the last century. It had a glorious history in their social work activities. We should salute late Prof. Haraprasad Roy and late Prof.Mangelendu Narayan Roy for their heartiest contribution towards these services to make this project successful. However, activities became jeopardised for few days. But again it re-commenced its social work activities during the financial session. 2017-18. Through this wing, College has extended its noble endeavour beyond its premises and make a liaison between the campus and the society. The NSS wing performs regular activities along with special camp activities. However due to some irregular financial disbursement of higher authority, it could not be able to execute all programmes in its primary stage. But as it overcome of its childhood phase it has gained momentum.

The context

The activities are designed in such a way so that our students can come out from all of their backwardness and awake them about their responsibilities towards society along with their personal development. We believe “ If You Are Working On Something That You Really Care About, You Don’t Have To Be Pushed. The Vision Pulls You.” – Steve Jobs.

The Practice

Through the regular activities, member along with teaching and non-teaching staff eradicate several misconceptions and backwardness and ensure development in several sphere of society. They have engaged themselves in following activities:

1. Blood donation camp
2. Health awareness programmes on removing genealogical misconception, free eye check up, thalaessemia detection test, aids awareness programmes
3. Programmes on gender sensitization
4. Skill development programmes through conducting workshop
5. Programmes on afforestation
6. Programmes on solid –waste management & No plastic campaign
7. No smoking Campaigns.
8. Swachchha Bharat Mission
9. In collaborative activities- conducted cultural programmes
10. Programmes on legal awareness- like how to protect oneself from cyber –crime, raise consciousness about ill effect of child marriage and women trafficking, etc.
11. Community development programmes.

Evidence of Success:

1. NSS wings of Berhampore College organised a voluntary blood donation camp on 4th October, 2018 on the occasion of celebration of NSS day on 24th September in association with State Government Hospital Blood Bank. Hon’ble Principal Dr. Samaresh Mandal, inaugurated the camp by lightening the lamp. Dr. Apurbo Chattoraj, Senior medical officer of Lalbagh Hospital was the chief guest. 73 donors donated their blood. Donors were given ‘Certificate of appreciation’.  All teaching, non-teaching staffs and the students were participated with full enthusiasm and made it a great success.
2. NSS unit of Berhampore College organised a one day seminar on gender sensitization on 01.02.2019. Theme of the seminar was “child marriage and women trafficking are complementary social problem”. Social activist presently teaching at TATA Institute of Social Science at Kolkata branch, Mou Bhattacharjee delivered her key note lecture before audience and awaken the students about different perspectives of these social problems and gave several informations ( like activities of child welfare committee, uses of phone no 1098 , etc) those of which would be applied when situation need. This programme experienced with audience of 146 students along with 33 teachers.
3. In modern world, technical knowledge is very much essential to place one-self in job market. Knowledge in technology plays a market signal about the efficiency of employees. Members of NSS unit are eager to gather knowledge about the process of broad-casting of programmes through in Prasar Bharati relay centre as this centre is adjacent to the Berhampore College. Observing the interest of students, NSS Unit of Berhampore college organised a one day workshop on “BASIC CONCEPT OF RECORDING & TRANSMISSION OF PROGRAMMES IN DOORDARSHAN AT TVRC (HPT), MURSHIDABAD” in collaboration with PRASAR BHARATI, T.V. Relay centre (H.P.T), Murshidabad,on 07.02.2019. 45 members of NSS Unit of Berhampore College along with six teachers attended the workshop. It was held at regional office of PRASAR BHARATI, T.V. Relay centre (H.P.T), Murshidabad. Resource persons named Krishnendu Bhattacharjee, Amalendu Chowdhury  delivered their lectures to the members and  showed the operations of recording & transmission of programmes in Doordarshan  as conducted at TVRC (HPT).  Students were participated with enthusiasm and gathered knowledge and prepared project report on that matter. Certificate of participation was issued to each member who participated in this workshop.
4. Suffrage is used for right to vote. Suffrage describes not only the legal rights to vote but also the practical question of whether a question will be put to a vote. Right to vote is not only our right, but it is our responsibility of citizens of democratic country to elect an efficient government for sake of welfare of country. By realising the need, NSS unit organised a workshop on ‘Electoral Process’ in collaboration with District Administration of Murshidabad. Hon’ble SDO, Mr Dipayan Mukherjee taught the students about ‘Electoral Process’. Hon’ble Block Development Officer along with his staffs demonstrated the uses of EVM to the students. They took initiatives to generate more awareness among women voters. 111 students along with 12 teachers attended the programme.
5. International Mother language day is a world-wide annual observance held on 21^st February to recognise the importance of worldwide linguistic diversity and to affirm the right for all people to speak their local language. To promote awareness among students about the relevance of Mother language NSS unit of Berhampore College has celebrated this day to memorialize the fight of those students of Bangladesh who killed while demonstrating for the recognition of Bengali as national language. A seminar was organised on the ‘Relevance of mother language’. Members of NSS unit developed a documentary on the relevance of that day. 70 students along with 18 teachers attended the programme. An intra-college debate competition organised. 24 participants actively appeared in this debate. A documentary film edited by members of NSS unit was displayed to the audience.
6. Six female members of NSS unit, Berhampore College took part in cultural Programme at Collectors building held on 26.02.2019. The programme was organised by ‘Murshidabad Zilla Itihas o Sanskriti Charcha Kendra’. Organiser appreciated their performance of dance and issued a certificate
7. Woman has the power to create, to nurture and to transform. By recognising the struggle of working women in Europe especially in North America, UN declared 8^th March as the International Womens’ Day in 1977. To aware the students about struggle at several phases of lives of women, stories of their failure and success, about the laws those will protect them from several misconduct made by others to them, etc; NSS unit of Berhampore College celebrated International Womens’ Day on 8^th March, 2019 at college Seminar Hall. 95 students (majority of girls students) were participated along with 26 teachers. Unit encouraged students by organising an intra-college ‘Sit and draw’ competetiotion on the theme ‘WOMAN AND HER WORLD’.. This competition followed by seminar where Dr Samaresh Mandal, Hon’ble Principal Sir, Dr. Indrani Basu, Programme officer of NSS unit of that college  and Moumita Ghosh, Convenor of Equal Opportunity Cell addressed the audience about ‘Relevance of International Womens’ Day’ . After that Oscar-winning telefilms “Period- The end of secret” was displayed to the girls students. Along with this certificates of winners of debate competition held on 21.02.2019 and participation of certificates of Workshop held on 07.02.19 at TV relay centre, Murshidabad region, were distributed among students.
8. A programme of afforestation was conducted on 31.01.2019. Along with it a step was taken to build -up solid-waste management within college premises.
9. A poster competition organised on ‘Awareness of health’ on the eve of World Health Day.
10. NSS unit organised -A workshop on health and hygiene of Girls students in collaboration of equal gender opportunity cell on 19.06,2019.
11. Banomahotsav-2019 was celebrated by planting sapling within college campus and adjacent area of Berhampore Ciollege( in Haridasmati region) on 19-20.06.2019.

Obstacles:

It is a collaborative activity. Principal, Programme officer, teaching and non-teaching staff along with students extend all their encompassing supports. The limited grants allotted by the central authority plays a major constraint to execute several programmes within schedule time. But team of NSS of Berhampore College believes to march forward by overcome all obstacles –

“The Pessimist Sees Difficulty In Every Opportunity. The Optimist Sees Opportunity In Every Difficulty.” – Winston Churchill

Activities of NSS Unit

NSS- A WEAPOON TO CONSTRUCT A BETTER SENSIBLE SOCIETY