NSS to be a part of textbook curriculum in higher education studies as per NEP

Mysore/Mysuru: State National Service Scheme (NSS) Officer Pratap Lingaiah said that NSS will be part of the textbook curriculum in higher education studies as per the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

He was speaking after inaugurating a five-day State-level Youth Festival organised by the NSS Unit of the University of Mysore (UoM) and the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports at the open-air theatre of the University College of Performing Arts in the city yesterday.

He said that NEP states that under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence, State Governments must encourage the opening of NSS and NCC wings in their secondary and higher secondary schools, including those located in tribal-dominated areas. The NSS offers opportunities and training in service to the community and the nation for students with an aptitude, Pratap Lingaiah added.

He said that the Department of Higher Education has constituted a textbook preparation committee and one of the members of the panel is from the State NSS Cell. “A draft textbook for inclusion of NSS subjects has already been prepared and sent to the Government for approval,” he noted.

Nation-building through NSS

NSS aims to instil the idea of social welfare in students and to provide service to society without bias. NSS volunteers work to ensure that everyone who is needy gets help to enhance their standard of living and lead a life of dignity, he said.

“Karnataka has 5 lakh NSS volunteers and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai wants the State NSS Cell to double its volunteers. The Government has given directions to all University Heads to gear up to include NSS as part of their syllabus,” he added.

“NSS also prepares youths to engage in nation-building activities, creates a sense of discipline and strives for national integration. It promotes universal brotherhood and maintains unity in diversity to spread harmony,” Pratap Lingaiah said.

UoM leads the way

University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar said that the UoM was the first in the State to launch NSS activities in 1969 through 11 units and 1,100 NSS students. “Though the jurisdiction of the University has shrunk, NSS has grown and today the Varsity has the highest number of NSS volunteers (19,000) with a presence of 177 NSS units at its 142 affiliated colleges,” he revealed.

He said that UoM has adopted a few villages as per the recommendations of Niti Aayog and camps and other activities will be held throughout the year as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. He appealed to youths to take up self-employment activities instead of depending upon Government jobs.

State NSS Regional Director Khadri Narasimhaiah, Registrar (Evaluation) Prof. A.P. Jnanaprakash, NSS Coordinator Dr. M.B. Suresh and others were present.

At the Youth Festival, hundreds of students drawn from various institutions including 26 Universities from across the State are participating in contests, debates, quizzes, round table conferences, cultural programmes and special lectures. Over 250 NSS volunteers are coordinating the programmes that are judged by over 30 judges.