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Several National Service Scheme (NSS) functionaries and volunteers were today honoured with the Indira Gandhi NSS Awards for the year 2003-04 & 2004-05 for their outstanding contribution in the field of community service. The list of 33 awardees included two Universities, namely the Kerala University, Thiruvananthapuram and the Dr. RML Awadh University, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, and 11 Proramme officers/NSS Units as well as 20 Volunteers from various parts of the country.
Giving away the awards in a ceremony in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office, Shri Prithviraj Chavan lauded the role of the NSS as an instrument of selfless service to the society. Terming the NSS as the most powerful student movement that has emerged in the last 35 years, he proudly recalled its contribution in the disaster management area, particularly during Super Cyclone in Orissa in 1999, Gujrat Earthquake in 2001 and in the regions affected by Tsunami.
Shri Prithviraj Chavan said that several initiatives have been taken to promote the activities of the NSS. These include ongoing efforts to make NSS a part of regular academic curriculum and its expansion covering all the students from Std. IX onwards. The Minister also announced the enhancement of the Award Money from next year onwards.
Speaking on the occasion the Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Smt. Meenaxi Anand Chaudhary said that the Youth Development has picked up pace in the recent months especially due to greater co-ordination between the student and non-student youth programmes.
The Indira Gandhi NSS Awards were instituted in the Silver Jubilee Year of NSS i.e. 1993-94. Since then these awards have been given every year at four levels as per the following details.
Sl. No.
Category
No. of Awards
Award Money
1.
University
01
Rs.1,00,000/-
2.
Programme Officers
06
Rs. 10,000/-
3.
NSS Unit
06
Rs. 35,000/-
4.
NSS Volunteer
16
Rs. 8,000/-
Besides cash, all the awardees are presented with a trophy and a scroll / certificate in the National Award Ceremony.
The NSS, through the years, has emerged as one of the most vibrant volunteer student youth programmes in the realm of community service. Started on 24th September, 1969 with just 40,000 volunteers in 37 universities, the NSS family today has more than 22 lakhs student youth volunteers spread over 196 universities and 41 school level Councils ( + 2 level) and Vocational Institutions.
The NSS has played a major role in the development of the personality of students through community service. It provides them an opportunity to nurture their latent talents, which would otherwise have remained underdeveloped. It has virtually added a third dimension to our educational system, which was earlier confined to only teaching and research.( Please pick up Photo from Photo Gallery on this site)
PRA/240905-NSS-Awards
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