National Service Scheme is a Central Government Educational Programme started in the year 1969.It is functioning under the ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports at the national level and under the Ministry of Higher Education at the State level. The National Service Scheme unit no:40 of St.Stephens College Uzhavoor is under Mahatma Gandhi University National Service Scheme cell.
The Major aim of National Service Scheme is the development of the personality of students through community service.It provides an extention dimension to the higher Education system and orient the student youth to community service while they study in an educational institution as envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi,the 'Acharya' of National Service Scheme.
The broad objectives of NSS are to:
National Service Scheme has two types of programmes : Regular Activities and Special Camping Programmes. Students enrolled as NSS Volunteers are expected to work in the scheme for a period of two years and also participate in Special Camping Programmes of 7 days duration.
NSS volunteer undertake various activities in campus adopted, villages and slumps for community service. Duration of these service is 120 hours ie. 20 hours for orientation of NSS volunteers, 30 hours for campus work and 70 hours for community service. In regular NSS programmes students undertake various activities in the college campuses, adopted villages, cities and slums during weekends. Adoption of a village or an area is a meaningful programme in NSS.
Special Camping Programme is a camp of seven days duration in adopted places and it provides unique opportunities to the students for group living, collective experience sharing, sharing responsibilities, addressing various developmental issues of regional and national importance and constant interaction with the community. 50 percentage NSS volunteers are expected to participate in these camps.