The National Service Scheme (NSS) was launched in 1969, the birth centenary year of the Father of Nation, by the Government of India. It is a voluntary association of young people, especially college students to work for campus-community linkages. The aim is to develop student’s personality through community service.
The NSS unit of Ramanujan College provides a platform to the students for community work and developing a sense of involvement in the tasks of nation building. NSS volunteers work to ensure that a needy get help to enhance their standard of living. A variety of activities are organized every year to channelize the energy and idealism of the younger generation into creative pursuits. They educate students and society regarding many issues like health, sanitation, palliation, etc. Various health camps and cleanliness drives across campus and slum areas nearby are taken out regularly to create awareness and also to motivate people to work towards a clean environment.
THE EVENTS ORGANIZED
The NSS unit functions under the guidance of a Faculty programme officer. The NSS wing of college focuses on providing access and opportunities to underprivileged in health and education. Some of the major events of the NSS Unit are:
SWACHHTA PAKHWADA
15 Days Swachhta Drive was organized by NSS unit of Ramanujan College from 2nd August 2018 to 15th August 2018 during which several cleanliness activities were initiated in and off campus. Beginning from taking a Swachhta Pledge, a team of 25 volunteers was formed and were allocated responsibilities to clean college premises along with adjoining areas. Awareness campaigns were brought off in Kalkaji Slums. From cleaning the slums, to taking a rally on cleanliness for creating awareness, NSS volunteers did all they could to contribute in the purity of the surroundings.
KERALA DONATIONS
A tragic calamity has hit god’s own city, Kerala, the NSS unit of Ramanujan College set up a relief campaign in the college premises on for 5 days from 28th August 2018. Student volunteers of NSS took turns in collecting donations from students. The five-day collection was huge and included help in kind including sanitary products, dry food items, stationery items, clothes, footwear, blankets etc.
PANEL DISCUSSION ON YOUTH’S ROLE IN ROAD SAFETY
Owning to unsafe conditions on roads, the rates of accidents has been high in India. Considering the gravity of situation, NSS of Indian Institute Of Technology, Delhi in collaboration with Indian Road Safety campaign, Morth and Unitar has organized a panel discussion on the topic-“Role of Youth in Road Safety” on 9th September 2018 where panelists were experts from medical, technical, law, journalism backgrounds etc. NSS Unit of Ramanujan College participated in the same.
NSS ADVENTURE CAMP IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
A 12-day adventure camp was organised by NSS, Delhi University, in Himachal Pradesh from 12th September 2018 to 24th September 2018 for the students to learn various water sports. Among the team of 20 students from 20 colleges of Delhi University, 2 were the volunteers from NSS Unit of Ramanujan College. The team was led by Ms. Suchi Patti, Program Officer, NSS Unit Ramanujan College.
100 YEARS OF BATTLE HAIFA
A series of commemorative events to celebrate the gallantry and victory of the last recorded cavalry charge against well entrenched Austrian, German and Ottoman Armies in Haifa that took place on September 23, 1918, has been held in the auditorium of BAHAI’S HOUSE OF WORSHIP (Lotus Temple) on September 20, 2018.The ceremony started with lamp lighting followed by an invocation. Messages from the honorable President of India, his Excellency the Prime Minister of India were conveyed. The principal Dr. SP AGGARWAL and 4 Nss volunteers of Ramanujan College were invited there as guests to feel the essence of such a historic and unforgettable moment.
NSS DAY
NSS Unit of Ramanujan College observed 24th September 2018 as NSS Day and celebrated with appropriate programs and activities under “Swachhta hi Sewa” campaign. Team NSS organized NUKKAD NATAK in the nearby slum to send across the message of cleanliness and hygiene. Thereafter, the team also had an interaction with the people about the problems they face and guided them for the importance of cleanliness.
PARAKRAM PARV
On the second anniversary of the 2016 cross-LoC surgical strikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, India observed to have a Parakram Parv, two days celebration, 28th September 2018 to 29th September 2018, to commemorate the valour and sacrifice of the armed forces. The NSS Unit of Ramanujan College participated in same. Also, NSS unit invited slogans, letters, cards and posters from the volunteers and students in the form of thanks to Indian Soldiers.
BLOOD DONATION DRIVE
A blood donation campaign was organized at Finnovation, on 28th September 2018 in association with Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, NSS Volunteers participated and became a part of this life saving event by helping the staff present there in managing and controlling the drive thus organized.
RANGILI DESHBHAKTI.
NSS Unit of Ramanujan College celebrated the birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on 2nd October 2018. The team invited children from nearby slum. A film screening of the movie ‘PARMANU’ was organized to inculcate and intensify the feeling of patriotism in the kids. Followed by a drawing competition for the young minds to paint up their imagination on the idea of nationalism. The children were overwhelmed and fascinated with the ideas of the father of nation and pledged to serve the nation.
THE KALKAJI EVENT
For the tenure of nine days ‘The NAVRATRAS’, From 11th October 2018 to 18th October 2018, the NSS unit of RAMANUJAN COLLEGE provided its service to Kalkaji Mandir, New Delhi, with the missing child help desk. The NSS Volunteers, 60 in number were scattered in the whole mandir premises to help finding such kids who were either lost or injured in the chaos of people going for ‘Darshan’.
VIGILANCE WEEK
The Central Vigilance Commission observes the Vigilance Awareness Week during the week of Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel’s birth anniversary. The same is observed in Ramanujan College by the NSS Unit.
In the week, through various outreach activities, the unit seeks to motivate stakeholders to collectively participate in the fight against corruption and aims at raising public awareness regarding the detrimental consequences of corruption. This year, the Vigilance Awareness Week has been observed from 29th October, 2018 to 3rd November, 2018 on the theme “Eradicate Corruption-Build a New India”. A series of programs and various activities relevant to the theme were conducted by the NSS Unit both within the campus and outreach activities for public which included activities like Rally to spread awareness, poster making activities, pledge to eradicate corruption, play on life of Bhagat Singh. There were interactions with all the teaching and nonteaching staff, and the students for their views on prevailing corruption and ideas to culminate it.
BOOK DONATION DRIVE
A Book Donation Drive was organised by the NSS Unit from 15th January 2019 to 18th January 2019. It particularly meant for lending a helping hand for economically challenged and underprivileged students. 30 volunteers participated in the drive collecting books. As large a number, some 200 books were collected by the volunteers. NSS UNIT, Ramanujan College, made efforts to bridge the gap between elite young minds and the benevolent donors who could easily take advantage of this program and do a bit of charity.
VOTERS AWARENESS FORUM
With the aim to give the younger generation a sense of responsible citizenship and to encourage all the adults above 18 years of age to exercise their franchise, NSS Unit of Ramanujan College organised an oath taking program on 25th January 2019 as part of National Voter’s Day observance. Ms. Suchi Patti, Program Officer, NSS Unit, made all the teaching and non-teaching staff, along with the students present voter awareness forum to keep firm faith on democracy and strive for independent, impartial and peaceful election.
MARTYRS DAY
On the occasion of Martyrs Day, on 30th January 2019, the NSS Unit of Ramanujan College observed a 2-minute silence, at 11:00 am in commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi on his 71st Death Anniversary.
A Film screening of ‘THE GHAZI ATTACK’ was also organized on the occasion, at 1:30 pm to evoke the patriotic sentiments amongst students. The movie is about an Indian Submarine S21 that intercepted a Pakistani Submarine PNS Ghazi in 1971 during a routine surveillance and thwarts.
FUTURE AIMS AND PLANS
With a broader aim to work in the spheres of health, safety and cleanliness, NSS Unit of Ramanujan College is working to imbibe the idea of social welfare in students and instil the motto of ‘NOT ME BUT YOU’ in them in the real sense.
NSS Unit is soon to adopt a nearby slum and will ensure the cleanliness, availability of basic resources, work for education of children, and improve their standard of living.
THE UPCOMING EVENTS
- A memory management programme by the Bhrama Kumaris will be organised on 5th February 2019.
- A Blood Donation Camp to be organised in college premises with an aim to collect a minimum 100 units of blood, on 6th February 2019.
- NSS Annual FEST, UTSAH, to be organised in the last week of February.