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CHAPTER V
IMPACT OF NATIONAL SERVICE SCHEME
National Service Scheme influences students through Regular and
Special Camping Programmes. The Regular and Special Camping
Programmes are aimed to bring students face to face with community and
make efforts to improve the quality of community life. NSS volunteers have
to devote about 120+120=2401 hours (including 80 hours service in adopted
villages) for regular activities and to attend 10/7 days special camps as an
essential part of the service.
National Service Scheme volunteers are expected to learn from the
people in villages/slums how to work hard and discharge their duty in limited
resources. Youth imbibe leadership qualities working at community levels. It
bridges the urban-rural divide as the youth from cities mingle with the villagers
during their residential camp. National Service Scheme also envisages
personality development through social service. This chapter analyses the
significance of National Service Scheme and its impact on Student Potentiality
and Community.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) envisages Teaching,
Research and Extension service as its three thrust areas of higher education in
India. The National Service Scheme acts primarily in the extension domain of
higher education. The motto of the National Service Scheme itself is
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development of the personality of the students through community service. The
community service here is a means to realize the end of National Service
Scheme. In short, the National Service Scheme functions as a vehicle to share
the learned experiences of the students from the campus to the community, in
the mutually complimenting and supplementing mode.
Methodology
The study analyses the strength and development of National Service
Scheme in Kerala in order to assess the significance of National Service
Scheme in higher education. To examine the role of National Service Scheme
in enhancing the students’ potentiality a comparative study was carried out
between volunteers and non-volunteers in Educational Achievement,
Communication Skill, Attitude towards Manual Work, Attitude towards Women,
Leadership skill, Involvement in co-curricular activities and General
Knowledge. A multi-stage assessment of a National Service Scheme activity
was conducted to evaluate the impact of National Service Scheme on the
community.
To study the growth of number of National Service Scheme volunteers
each year, the age variation with respect to previous years and compound
annual growth rates were computed. The statistical tools used for studying
primary data are the descriptive statistics such as ages, means and standard
deviations. To compare two means t-test is used. For comparing two
proportions Z-test is carried out. Chi-square test is used to find out the
189
independence of two attributes in a contingency table. In order to find out the
impact of National Service Scheme in enhancing student potentiality logistic
regression backward selection method was applied. A case study was also
conducted to evaluate the impact of National Service Scheme activities on
students and the community.
Formula for the compound annual growth rate
where V(t0) : start value, V(tn) : finish value, tn − t0 : number of years.
Significance of National Service Scheme in Higher Education
National Service Scheme is a student-centred programme complement-
ary to education2. The cardinal principle of the programme is that it is organised
by the students themselves and both students and teachers through combined
participation in social service involve in national development. Besides, the
students obtain work experience which might help them find avenues of self-
employment or employment in any organisation at the end of their University
career.
Structure of National Service Scheme
Every University and Directorate of Education have its own National
Service Scheme Cells to coordinate National Service Scheme Programmes in
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colleges/schools, affiliated to it. The Programme Coordinator is the key
functionary as far as NSS is concerned. The Programme Coordinator will
execute administrative and policy directives of the government, decisions of the
State Advisory Committee and University/Directorate level Advisory
Committee. The National Service Scheme programme will be prepared in the
light of the guidelines issued by the Government of India.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is the nodal ministry for
National Service Scheme and is given the administrative responsibility for
policy planning, implementation and evaluation of National Service Scheme
programme. At the state level, department of Higher Education is the
administrative department which control the National Service Scheme. The
Principal Secretary of Higher Education is the highest officer who administers
the scheme. The State Liaison Officer of National Service Scheme looks after
the scheme. At the national level, the Scheme is under the control of the Senior
Officer of the rank of the Joint Secretary as far as administration and
implementation of the programme is concerned. The expenditure per student is
shared by the Central and the State Governments in the ratio of 7:5.
Strength of National Service Scheme
The National Service Scheme programme has expanded both
qualitatively and quantitatively over years. One of the important
recommendations of the review committee, formed by the Government of India
in August, 19843 was that the NSS programme had great potential and,
191
therefore, should continue and expand. The committee also recommended a 10
rate of growth of coverage of students under National Service Scheme in each
year.
Started initially in 37 universities involving 40,000 volunteers, the
National Service Scheme has grown over years and is implemented today with
an involvement of more than 3.2 million volunteers spread over in 420
Universities, Polytechnic colleges and +2 Systems. Figure 5.1 present the age
distribution of National Service Scheme Volunteers in Kerala during 2010-11.
Figure 5.1 shows that major part (51 percent) of National Service Scheme
volunteers are in Universities. Schools come the second by holding 39 per cent
of National Service Scheme volunteers. The remaining 10 per cent of National
Service Scheme volunteers are in Technical Education sector.
192
Figure 5.1
Age Distribution of National Service Scheme Volunteers in Kerala during
2010-11
Development of National Service Scheme
Figure 5.2 presents the progress of voluntary strength of National
Service Scheme in Kerala during 1969-70 to 2010-11. The figure indicates
almost an exponential growth in the strength of National Service Scheme in
Kerala during the specified period. This is due to the government policy for ten
enhancement of NSS student volunteers every year. The strength of National
Service Scheme is found to grow at a slow pace during the early 70’s and
attains momentum during 80’s.
51%
39%
10%
Strength of National Service Scheme 2010-11
Universities Schools Technical Education
193
Table 5.1
Development of National Service Scheme in Kerala
during 1969-70 to 2010-113
Year Number of
volunteers
%
Var. Year
Number of
volunteers
%
Var.
1969-70 300
1990-91 56400 10.16
1970-71 700 133.33
1991-92 61950 9.84
1971-72 3450 392.86
1992-93 62040 0.15
1972-73 8000 131.88
1993-94 62040 0.00
1973-74 8000 0.00
1994-95 65000 4.77
1974-75 10000 25.00
1995-96 65000 0.00
1975-76 10500 5.00
1996-97 70000 7.69
1976-77 12000 14.29
1997-98 70000 0.00
1977-78 14000 16.67
1998-99 70000 0.00
1978-79 15300 9.29
1999-00 80000 14.29
1979-80 20000 30.72
2000-01 85000 6.25
1980-81 24000 20.00
2001-02 85000 0.00
1981-82 24000 0.00
2002-03 100000 17.65
1982-83 28000 16.67
2003-04 110000 10.00
1983-84 28000 0.00
2004-05 110000 0.00
1984-85 29000 3.57
2005-06 110000 0.00
1985-86 34000 17.24
2006-07 110000 0.00
1986-87 37000 8.82
2007-08 157300 43.00
1987-88 42000 13.51
2008-09 157300 0.00
1988-89 45200 7.62
2009-10 162900 3.56
1989-90 51200 13.27
2010-11 173000 6.20
Compound Annual Growth Rate 16.77 per cent
Source: Office of the National Service Scheme Regional Centre,
Pookulam, CGS Complex, Thiruvanathapuram
194
The strength of National Service Scheme in Kerala last two decades
have wide fluctuations. In the last two decades, the development of National
Service Scheme remained stable on certain years.
Figure 5.2
Development of National Service Scheme in Kerala during
1969-70 to 2010-11
The reasons for the irregular rate of growth of National Service Scheme
in Kerala during the second half of the study period reveals that the Scheme
failed to get adequate consideration from the then ruling state Governments.
The stagnation in the strength of National Service Scheme is obvious during the
four-year period from 2003-04 and the three-year period from 1996-97. There
also exist three instances of two-year period stagnation from 1992-93, 1994-95
and 2007-08. However, the stagnation in the growth of National Service
Scheme is found to be compensated with higher growth rates during certain
intermediate years. For instance, during 2006-07 the volunteer strength of
National Service Scheme was 1,10,00. But in the very next year, it enhanced to
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1,57,300 volunteers with an annual growth rate of 43.00 age. Similarly an
annual growth of 17.65 age can be seen from 2001-02 to 2002-03. The demerit
of the irregular growth is that certain cohorts of students are deprived of the
benefit, experience and the exposure of this students’ scheme.
Universities
Universities in Kerala having National Service Scheme units are Cochin
University of Science and Technology, Kannur University, Kerala Agricultural
University, Mahatma Gandhi University, Sree Sankaracharya Sanskrit
University, University of Calicut, University of Kerala and National Institute of
Technology, Kozhikode.Total number of students in Universities is 540000 and
total number of University National Service Scheme volunteers is 88800 which
form only 16.44 per cent of total students. Figure 5.3 presents the development
of National Service Scheme in the Universities of Kerala during 1969-70 to
2010-11.
Table 5.2
Development of National Service Scheme in Universities of Kerala
during 1969-70 to 2010-114
Year Number of
volunteers
%
Var. Year
Number of
volunteers
%
Var.
1969-70 300
1990-91 51450 10.17
1970-71 700 133.33
1991-92 52825 2.67
1971-72 3450 392.86
1992-93 53325 0.95
1972-73 8000 131.88
1993-94 53325 0.00
1973-74 8000 0.00
1994-95 55800 4.64
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1974-75 10000 25.00
1995-96 55800 0.00
1975-76 10500 5.00
1996-97 60000 7.53
1976-77 12000 14.29
1997-98 60000 0.00
1977-78 14000 16.67
1998-99 60000 0.00
1978-79 15300 9.29
1999-00 63400 5.67
1979-80 20000 30.72
2000-01 64600 1.89
1980-81 24000 20.00
2001-02 64600 0.00
1981-82 24000 0.00
2002-03 63600 -1.55
1982-83 28000 16.67
2003-04 63800 0.31
1983-84 28000 0.00
2004-05 63800 0.00
1984-85 29000 3.57
2005-06 63800 0.00
1985-86 34000 17.24
2006-07 63800 0.00
1986-87 37000 8.82
2007-08 89000 39.50
1987-88 39020 5.46
2008-09 89000 0.00
1988-89 41900 7.38
2009-10 83700 -5.96
1989-90 46700 11.46
2010-11 88800 6.09
Compound Annual Growth Rate 14.89 per cent
Source: Office of the National Service Scheme Regional Centre,
Pookulam, CGS Complex, Thiruvanathapuram
Unlike the development of National Service Scheme in Kerala, the
growth curve of development of National Service Scheme in universities do not
follow an exponential growth especially during the second half of the study
period. The peculiar variation in the development of National Service Scheme
can also be seen in the University during 2003-04 to 2007-08. During this
period the strength of National Service Scheme remained stable for the first
four years and exhibited remarkable increase during 2007-08 and once again
remained stable for a year. The reason for the reduced growth rate in the
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strength of National Service Scheme volunteers in the Universities of Kerala is
the delinking of pre degree course from the Universities.
Figure 5.3
Development of National Service Scheme in the Universities of Kerala
during 1969-70 to 2010-115
In the wake of the delinking of the pre-degree course from the
University system of Kerala on account of the implementation of the UGC
scheme, 100 per cent of the National Service Scheme volunteers continued to
function in colleges and Universities. The colleges were reluctant to cede the 48
of the National Service Scheme volunteers, corresponding to the 48 of pre-
degree students, who were delinked and separated to enroll in the Higher
Secondary and Vocational Higher Secondary streams of schools.
Schools
To study the relative strength of National Service Scheme in Schools
with respect to the University, the growth of the strength of National Service
Scheme in Schools is plotted in the scale of that of the University and is
198
presented in Figure 5.4.
Table 5.3
Development of National Service Scheme in Schools of Kerala
during 1991-92 to 2010-11
Year
Number
of
volunteers
%
Var. Year Number of
volunteers
%
Var.
1991-92 4000
2001-02 14300 0.00
1992-93 3500 -12.50
2002-03 29300 104.90
1993-94 3500 0.00
2003-04 39300 34.13
1994-95 3800 8.57
2004-05 39300 0.00
1995-96 3800 0.00
2005-06 39300 0.00
1996-97 4500 18.42
2006-07 39300 0.00
1997-98 4500 0.00
2007-08 57100 45.29
1998-99 4500 0.00
2008-09 57100 0.00
1999-00 10800 140.00
2009-10 64000 12.08
2000-01 14300 32.41
2010-11 67000 4.69
Compound Annual Growth Rate 15.99 per ent
Source: Office of the National Service Scheme Regional
Centre, Pookulam, CGS Complex, Thiruvanathapuram6
The figure shows that National Service Scheme started in schools during
1991-92 and made a low pace of growth up to 1998-99. After 1998-99, the
strength of National Service Scheme increased rapidly with intermittent
stagnation. The growth of the strength of National Service Scheme in schools
also exhibits the general pattern of growth it exhibits during 2003-04 to
2007-08
199
Figure 5.4
Development of National Service Scheme in Schools of Kerala during
1969-70 to 2010-117
Technical Education
Figure 5.5 presents the development of National Service Scheme in the
Technical Education Sector of Kerala during 1969-70 to 2010-11. The figure
shows that though National Service Scheme started four years before starting it
in the schools, it did not increased as much as that in the schools.
The diagram indicates that Kerala whole follows almost an exponential
growth. But in the case of the students’ strength in the universities of Kerala,
the growth rate is found to be exponential during the first two decades and then
the growth rate looses its strength during the last two decades. The National
Service Scheme activities in the school level commence during 1991-92 and
during the succeeding five years it registered a very low growth rate and
afterwards the growth rate increased rapidly.
200
Table 5.4
Development of National Service Scheme in the Directorate of
Technical Education of Kerala during 1987-92 to 2010-11
Year Number of
volunteers
%
Var. Year
Number of
volunteers
%
Var.
1987-88 2980 1999-00 5800 5.45
1988-89 3300 10.74 2000-01 6100 5.17
1989-90 4500 36.36 2001-02 6100 0.00
1990-91 4950 10.00 2002-03 7100 16.39
1991-92 5125 3.54 2003-04 6900 -2.82
1992-93 5215 1.76 2004-05 6900 0.00
1993-94 5215 0.00 2005-06 6900 0.00
1994-95 5400 3.55 2006-07 6900 0.00
1995-96 5400 0.00 2007-08 11200 62.32
1996-97 5500 1.85 2008-09 11200 0.00
1997-98 5500 0.00 2009-10 15200 35.71
1998-99 5500 0.00 2010-11 17200 13.16
Compound Annual Growth Rate 7.92 per cent
Source: Office of the National Service Scheme Regional Centre,
Pookulam, CGS Complex, Thiruvanathapuram8
Even though the National Service Scheme activities in the technical
education segment started four years before it launched in the school, the
strength remained comparatively lower.
201
Figure 5.5
Development of National Service Scheme in the Technical Education
Sector of Kerala during 1969-70 to 2010-119
Yea
r
Cal
icut
Ker
ala
Agr
i
MG
Tec
h
VH
SE
HS
E
Coc
hin
SS
SU
Kan
nur
NIT
IHR
D
DT
E*
DP
I
69-70 300
70-71 700
71-72 1000 2450
72-73 3000 5000
73-74 3000 5000
74-75 4000 6000
75-76 4100 6200 200
76-77 4600 7200 200
77-78 5300 8300 400
78-79 5500 9200 600
79-80 6900 12700 400
80-81 7900 15500 600
81-82 7900 15500 600
82-83 9900 17500 600
83-84 9700 17500 800
84-85 10500 8560 1000 8940
85-86 12500 10000 1000 10500
86-87 13500 11000 1000 11500
87-88 13400 12120 1000 12500 2980
88-89 14000 13200 1000 13700 3300
202
89-90 16000 14500 1200 15000 4500
90-91 17600 16125 1225 16500 4950
91-92 18000 16600 1225 17000 5125 3000 1000
92-93 18000 16600 1225 17000 5215 2500 1000 500
93-94 18000 16600 1225 17000 5215 2500 1000 500
94-95 18900 17300 1200 17900 5400 2500 1300 500
95-96 18900 17300 1200 17900 5400 2500 1300 500
96-97 20800 17500 1200 18000 5500 2500 2000 500 2000
97-98 20800 17500 1200 18000 5500 2500 2000 500 2000
98-99 17400 17500 1200 18000 5500 2500 2000 500 2000 3400
99-00 18400 18000 1400 18500 5800 5800 5000 1000 2100 4000
00-01 18700 18300 1500 19000 6100 7000 7300 1000 2100 4000
01-02 18700 18300 1500 19000 6100 7000 7300 1000 2100 4000
02-03 18700 18300 1500 19000 7100 12000 17300 1000 1100 4000
03-04 18700 18300 1500 19000 6900 20000 19300 1000 1100 4000 200
04-05 18700 18300 1500 19000 6900 20000 19300 1000 1100 4000 200
05-06 18700 18300 1500 19000 6900 20000 19300 1000 1100 4000 200
06-07 18700 18300 1500 19000 6900 20000 19300 1000 1100 4000 200
07-08 26500 23000 2000 25000 11200 22700 34400 2300 1500 8300 400
08-09 26500 23000 2000 25000 11200 22700 34400 2300 1500 8300 400
09-10 25000 21500 1500 23500 15200 24000 40000 2000 1500 8300 400
10-11 25000 21500 1500 23500 15200 24000 40000 2000 1500 8300 400 5100 2000 3000
*Directorate of Training and Employment 10
Coverage of National Service Scheme
In spite of the exponential growth of total National Service Scheme
volunteers, their coverage in respective population is very low. Table 5.1
presents the age of National Service Scheme volunteers in different sections of
population in 2010. From the table it can be seen that the coverage of National
Service Scheme is only 0.54 percent in total population of Kerala. Coverage
among University students is 16.78 percent and that of Technical Education is
203
12.38 percent. The lowest coverage of students is in schools. In schools there
exists only 9.61 percent National Service Scheme volunteers.
Table 5.5
age of National Service Scheme volunteers in different section of
population
Sections of Population Total
number
Number of
Volunteers Per cent
Total Population of Kerala (2011) 31,841,374* 173000 0.54
Students
University 540000 88800 16.44
School 671518 64600 9.61
Technical Education 115500 17200 14.89
*Government of Kerala diary, 2011
Ref: http://www.trueknowledge.com/q/population_of_kerala_%5Cin_201011
National Service Scheme and Student Potentiality
To study the role of National Service Scheme in enhancing the student
potentiality, a sample of 120 students were taken from the final year degree
classes of the University of Kerala using a multistage random sampling method.
The colleges selected are Sree Narayana College, Chempazhanthy and
Government Women’s College, both in the Thiruvanathapuram district of
Kerala. The sample consists of equal number of National Service Scheme
volunteers and non-volunteers in equal sex ratio. Using a structured
questionnaire, data related to their educational achievement, co-curricular
activities were collected.
204
The National Service Scheme volunteers cited various reasons for
joining National Service Scheme. The analysis shows that 70.00 per cent of
volunteers joined National Service Scheme to for getting grace marks in the
final examination. As a motivation for the National Service Scheme volunteers,
two per cent grace marks are awarded in the final year degree examination. It is
mandatory for the volunteers to have completed 240 hours of service as part of
the National Service Scheme regular activities and must have attended
ten/seven days annual special camp of National Service Scheme.
Table 5.6
age of Volunteers by Reasons for Joining National
Service Scheme
Reasons Percent
To get grace mark 70.00
Personality development 58.33
For getting chance to visit different places 53.33
Community service 51.67
Free mingling across gender 50.00
Learn the community problems 38.33
Personality development was cited by 58.33 of volunteers as the reason
for joining National Service Scheme. Meaningful and rewarding exposure to
different programmes and events are important factors contributing for
personality development. The examples are the participation of National
Service Scheme volunteers in National Integration Camps in and outside the
States, pre-Republic day camps and Republic Day camps at New Delhi. The
205
sharing of experiences and exchange of ideas between the volunteers helps to
enrich their personality. As the National Service Scheme volunteers
participating in these mega events are drawn from all the States and Union
territories of the country, from divergent socio-economic and cultural
background. In a way, living together in the camps help volunteers to learn the
messages of national integration, communal harmony and problems of Indian
youth.
Getting chance to visit different places is another important reason
(53.33) for joining National Service Scheme. Usually as part of National
Service Scheme camps volunteers are given chances to visit places of cultural
significance. The field experience of the researcher shows that the visits ignite
in them a pride in diversified cultural heritage of the motherland. From the
exposure of the volunteers to the historical sites, they experience the beauty of
the concept of unity in diversity, one of the corner stones of the country which
binds the people together and promotes communal harmony.
Community service is cited by 51.67 volunteers selecting National
Service Scheme and 38.33 mentioned chances to learn community problems as
the reason for joining National Service Scheme. Community service is
considered by the National Service Scheme as a means to realise its ends. The
National Service Scheme adopted different kinds of community service:
traditionally National Service Scheme constructs rural roads, organise blood
grouping camps, donates blood voluntarily, cleans well, ponds and canals,
206
engaging literacy classes after surveying and identifying illiterates. Houses
were built (NSS Bhavan) for the homeless with the support of voluntary
donations from the staff, students and the public. All these cited activities of the
National Service Scheme are useful for the marginalised section living in the
villages and slums.
Fifty percent of the volunteers cited free mingling across gender. Taboo
attached to the free social mingling of girls and boys in the campus prevented
them from developing a healthy gender relationship. By and large free talking
and the intimate sharing of feeling and experience were restricted in the name
of discipline in 1970’s. The launch of National Service Scheme in the campuses
of Kerala resulted as a boom to address the vexed issue of the adolescent
students.
Awareness about the objectives of National Service Scheme among
volunteers was also subjected to analysis. The analysis shows that only
23.33 percent of the volunteers are fully aware of the objective of National
Service Scheme. The rest have mistaken or partially understood its declared
objectives. It shows that there is an urgent need to orient the volunteers on the
objectives of National Service Scheme. The components of students’
potentiality selected for the study are their academic achievement, personality
development, and development of leadership skills through community service,
involvement in co-curricular activities, their physical status and general
knowledge for good community life.
207
Academic Achievement
Academic Achievements of the volunteers and non-volunteers are
compared to examine the role of National Service Scheme in enhancing the
students’ potentiality. Marks of the previous University Final Examinations
were taken for analysis. The subjects consist of English as first language,
second language, subsidiary and main subjects. Figure 5.6 presents the mean
age of marks of volunteers and non-volunteers.
Figure 5.6
Mean age of Marks of Volunteers and Non-Volunteers
Figure 5.6 shows that percentage of total marks is higher for volunteers
of National Service Scheme than non-volunteers. The figure also shows that in
208
all subjects except the main subject, volunteers have higher marks than non-
volunteers. Table 5.1 presents the mean and standard deviation of marks with
significance level of t-test for difference. From Table 5.1, it can be seen that the
significant levels of t-test is less than 0.05 for total, English and Second
Language. The significant levels for Subsidiary and Main Subjects are greater
than 0.005 and are equal to 0.073 and 0.604 respectively.
The volunteers of National Service Scheme have significantly higher
marks for English and Second language. It means that the membership in the
National Service Scheme improved the overall performance of the students in
general and in particularly their performance in languages. As languages are the
means of communication, the involvement in the National Service Scheme can
be said to have a positive impact on the communication skills of the students.
In the case of Subsidiary and Main subjects, even though there exists
difference in the age of marks of volunteers and non-volunteers, the differences
are not statistically significant. It means that there is no direct relationship
between marks of Subsidiary and Main subjects and the membership in
National Service Scheme.
209
Table 5.7
Academic Achievement of Volunteers and Non-volunteers in the First
Year University Final Examination in 2009-10 by Sex
Students Subject Volunteers Non volunteers
Sig. Mean SD Mean SD
All
English 47.23 11.93 34.87 10.21 0.000
Second language 58.23 16.10 52.55 14.82 0.047
Subsidiary 65.20 10.09 61.43 12.55 0.073
Main 57.13 18.91 58.94 19.21 0.604
TOTAL 57.56 8.17 51.98 8.23 0.000
Male
English 42.50 13.20 35.20 9.68 0.018
Second language 60.57 15.29 49.67 15.30 0.008
Subsidiary 64.10 11.50 62.23 12.60 0.551
Main 55.90 18.76 56.40 19.92 0.921
TOTAL 56.23 7.67 51.03 8.66 0.017
Female
English 51.97 8.31 34.53 10.88 0.000
Second language 55.90 16.80 55.43 14.00 0.907
Subsidiary 66.30 8.51 60.63 12.66 0.046
Main 58.37 19.30 61.48 18.47 0.525
TOTAL 58.88 8.57 52.92 7.80 0.007
Table 5.1 shows that total performance of male volunteers and female
volunteers are significantly higher than their non-volunteers counterparts. The
result indicates that the relationship between the membership in National
Service Scheme and total academic performance of students is independent of
their gender. Both male students and female students get the overall academic
benefit in the same manner.
210
The percentage of marks of English of male and female volunteers are
also found to be significantly higher than the male and female non-volunteers.
It means that the communication skills through a foreign language of the
volunteers, is significantly higher than that of the corresponding non-volunteers
of National Service Scheme. The mean age mark of the Second language is
found to be significantly higher among male volunteers than male non-
volunteers.
Figure 5.7
Mean age of Marks of Volunteers and Non-Volunteers Sex of the Students
Male Students Female Students
Personality development
Personality development is one of the important objectives of National
Service Scheme. The student volunteers are taken out by the National Service
Scheme officers and provided with a variety of opportunity to enrich their
personal effectiveness. The special camping programmes and scores of other
activities of the National Service Scheme considerably changed the outlook,
thought and created a deep influence on their behaviour. Parents and teachers
211
alike are convinced that the National Service Scheme is able to effect the
behavioural change. The present study proves that National Service Scheme has
a very good impact in the minds of the student volunteers. In effect, the
National Service Scheme activities are meant to make the best use of the leisure
time in their disposal. While doing so the hidden talents of students are brought
to light. During the special camps it is customary to present cultural activities
by the volunteers as well as the local youth. In this sharing of the stage by the
volunteers as well as the non-student youth volunteers of the locality a cultural
fusion takes place. In this process a sort of reciprocity develops. As a result a
symbiotic and mutually complimentary relationship evolves. Thus National
Service Scheme facilitates a venue for the development of the personality of its
volunteers by sharing their campus experience with the cohorts in the villages
and slums.
There are innumerable cases wherein one finds that the students who are
timid, incapable of doing even simple thing have turned out to deal courageous,
strong in will and exceptionally capable of handling any difficult problem and
situation. The positive empowerment of the student youth is capable of
addressing one of the serious problems of Kerala - suicide of the youth.
Cooperation, concentration, adjustability, adaptability and obedience are certain
good habits and manners acquired by the National Service Scheme volunteers,
transform them to promising personality with quality and excellence, which are
very much needed as potential carrier seekers and future citizens. In this study
personality development was assessed through three dimensions relevant to the
212
students and community such as communication skill, attitudinal towards
manual work and attitude towards women.
Communication skill
In National Service Scheme camps are mandatory at different levels,
which give ample opportunities for the students to develop their communication
skills. Living and sharing together for seven days includes preparation and
presentation of socially relevant subjects as part of the National Service Scheme
programmes. The subsequent evaluation and healthy criticism in the presence
of competent keypersons of National Service Scheme, in effect act, as a
finishing school for development of communication skills in the youth
volunteers. The communication skill is doubtful to exists when a person often
find himself misunderstanding others. A person with low communication skill
will have difficulty in getting their point across clearly. So, two questions were
asked to answer the students about their opinion on those two aspects. The
opinions were collected using a five-point scale with the maximum score of
five for always ‘finding themselves misunderstanding others’ and the minimum
of one for never ‘finding themselves misunderstanding others’. Figure 5.7
presents Mean Score of Opinion of Volunteers and Non volunteers about
Finding Themselves Misunderstanding Others.
213
Figure 5.7 shows that the mean score of opinion of volunteers and non-
volunteers about finding themselves misunderstanding others is lower among
volunteers of National Service Scheme compared to non-volunteers. Table 5.2
presents the Score of Opinion of Volunteers and Non volunteers about Finding
Themselves Misunderstanding Others with the significant level of t-test.
Figure 5.8
Mean Score of Opinion of Volunteers and Non volunteers about Finding
Themselves Misunderstanding Others
Table 5.2 shows that the significance levels are less than 0.05 for total
students and females. The result indicates that among total students the score of
finding themselves misunderstanding others are significantly lower among
volunteers of National Service Scheme than non-volunteers. It means that
volunteers find themselves misunderstanding others in lesser level than non-
volunteers. In other words volunteers of National Service Scheme exhibits more
communication skill than non-volunteers.
214
Table 5.8
Score of Opinion of Volunteers and Non volunteers
about Finding Themselves Misunderstanding Others
Students Volunteers Non volunteers
Sig. Mean SD Mean SD
Total 2.90 1.16 3.38 1.09 0.020
Male 2.93 1.11 3.10 1.12 0.566
Female 2.87 1.22 3.67 0.99 0.007
Figure 5.8 shows that the mean score of opinion of volunteers and non-
volunteers about difficulty in getting their point across clearly is lower among
volunteers of National Service Scheme compared to non-volunteers. Table 5.3
presents the Score of Opinion of Volunteers and Non volunteers about
difficulty in getting their point across with the significant level of t-test.
Figure 5.9
Mean Score of Opinion of Volunteers and Non volunteers about difficulty in
getting their point across clearly
215
From Table 5.3 it can be seen that mean score of opinion of total
volunteers about difficulty in getting their point across clearly is 2.73 and that
of total non-volunteers are 3.13. The significant level of t-test of the means is
0.028 which is less than five percent level of significance. So, the t-test
indicates that volunteers have significantly less difficulty in getting their point
across clearly than non-volunteers.
Table 5.8
Score of Opinion of Volunteers and Non volunteers
about Difficulty in getting their point across clearly
Students Volunteers Non volunteers Sig.
of t-test Mean SD Mean SD
Total 2.73 0.82 3.13 1.13 0.028
Male 2.67 0.80 3.17 0.99 0.035
Female 2.80 0.85 3.10 1.27 0.286
Similarly, the significant level of t-test of mean score of opinion of
difficulty in getting their points across clearly among male volunteers and non-
volunteers is also less than five per cent level of significance. The mean scores
of male volunteers and male non-volunteers are found to be 2.67 and 3.17
respectively. The result indicates that male volunteers have significantly less
difficulty in getting their point across clearly than non-volunteers. But in the
case of female National Service Scheme volunteers and non-volunteers there is
no significant difference of means score of opinion as the significant level of
t-test is higher than five per cent level of significance.
216
Attitude towards manual work
The observable trend among the student youth in higher education sector
is that those who are studying in institutions of higher education are not
supposed to do manual work. In effect the manual work, even in one’s own
home has neglected by the students of Kerala. The history of higher education
in Kerala reveals that under the gurukula system the students were bound to do
many manual works in the home of the Guru, irrespective of their social status.
It is an undisputable fact that even princes during their study were duty-bound
to do manual works. It shows that the dignity of labour was duly recognised in
the ancient Indian system of higher education. The practice was lost in the wake
of the introduction of modern western education, which in practice demanded
no physical work. In this context one can equate the National Service Scheme,
though in a limited extent, as a tool for reviving the deteriorated values in
education especially with reference to the dignity of labour.
Figure 5.10
Age of Volunteers and Non Volunteers Who Take Domestic Work Other
Than Their Personal Need
217
Here, attitude of students towards manual work was studied by their
practice in doing domestic work other than their personal needs. Figure 5.9 and
Table 5.9 present age of volunteers and non-volunteers who take domestic work
other than their personal need.
From Table 5.9 it can be seen that 44.17 per cent of total volunteers and
39.17 total non-volunteers do domestic work other than their personal need.
The significant level of Z-test for proportion is found to be higher than five
percent level of significance which indicates that as far as taking of domestic
work is concerned, there is no difference between volunteers and non-
volunteers. Similarly, among males and females, there is no significant
difference in taking domestic work.
Table 5.9
age Of Volunteers And Non Volunteers Who Take Domestic
Work Other Than Their Personal Need
Volunteers Non
volunteers Sig. of Z-test
Total 44.17 39.17 0.582
Male 41.67 36.67 0.697
Female 46.67 41.67 0.704
Attitude towards women
The Indian woman has all alone suffered from many social disabilities,
except perhaps during the Vedic period when it is believed, they enjoyed a high
218
status and respect in the family and considerable freedom of movement. The
advent of British rule made it possible for the western thought to penetrate in
Indian society and influence its way of behaviour and thinking. The
contribution made by social reformers like Raja Rammohanroy, Iswar Chandra
Vidya Sagar, Maharshi Karve and Panditha Rama Bai for emancipation of
women is too well-known to need any elaboration. However, it was with
Mahatma Gandhi and his Satyagrah that social participation of women really
began. Besides the charismatic influence of Mahatma Gandhi there were two
reasons why women came forward in large number. Not only to participate in
the Satyagrah but in all other activities of great social significance started under
the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. Firstly the movement was non-violent
which made it easier for them to participate and secondly it was all pervasive so
that women could participate wherever they were (Dave N.K, 1981).
In this study to assess the personality component of the National Service
Scheme volunteers, their attitude towards women is analysed. One’s attitude
towards women is the reflection of one’s mindset. Gender equality is generally
accepted as the progressive index of the society. It is very much evident in the
advanced societies of Europe and America as well as metropolitan cities of
India. Here as part of an attempt to study the impact of National Service
Scheme in the development of the personality of the opinion of the students
about reservation of seats for women in the public transport buses of Kerala.
219
Figure 5.10 presents mean score of volunteers and non-volunteers about
seat reservation for women in transport buses. The figure shows that mean
score of opinion about seat reservation for women in transport buses is higher
among non-volunteers.
Figure 5.11
Mean Score of Volunteers and Non volunteers about Seat Reservation for
Women in Transport Buses
From Table 5.10, it can be seen that the difference in the mean scores of
volunteers and non-volunteers are not statistically significant as the significant
level of t-test is higher than 0.05 in all groups. The result indicates even though
there exists difference in the means scores, the opinion of volunteers and non-
volunteers are statistically same. This kind of attitude towards reservation of
seats in the public transport buses show that, even without reservation of seats,
an empathetic attitude towards women are to be developed.
220
Table 5.10
Score of Volunteers and Non volunteers about Seat
Reservation for Women in Transport Buses
Sig.
Mean SD Mean SD
Total 3.87 1.44 4.08 1.20 0.373
Male 3.77 1.43 3.87 1.46 0.789
Female 3.97 1.47 4.30 0.84 0.286
Development of Leadership Skills Through Community Service
One of the declared purposes of National Service Scheme is to enrich
the leadership qualities of its volunteers. Leadership is the process of social
influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the
accomplishment of a common task. Leadership is "organizing a group of
people to achieve a common goal." The qualities attributed for assessing the
leadership skills is that whether the person in question is comfortable when he
is alone or in the company of others. A person with high leadership quality
always likes to be in the company of others. So to assess the leadership quality
of the sample students, the response on whether they are comfortable when they
are alone or in group.
Figure 5.11 present the age distribution of total volunteers and non-
volunteers by their response when they are more comfortable. From the figure it
can be seen that the age of non-volunteers are high among those who are
comfortable when they are alone. In order to test the attributes of membership
in National Service Scheme and status of comfort, Chi Square test is applied
221
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Whenalone
Ingroup
Inbothtime
Pe
rce
nta
ge
Volunteers
Nonvolunteers
and the result is presented in Table 5.11. Table shows that the significance level
of chi-square test is less than 0.05 for total students which mean that the
distribution of total volunteers and non-volunteers are not same. Higher
proportion of non-volunteers (17.50 per cent) reported they are comfortable
when they are alone as compare to 3.33 percent of volunteers. The result
indicates that for total students, the leadership quality is higher among
volunteers.
Figure 5.12
Per cent of volunteers and non-volunteers by when they are more comfortable
by sex of the students
Total sample
Male Students Female Students
222
Similarly from Table 5.11, it can be see that for male and females, the
leadership quality is high among volunteers as compared to non-volunteers.
Table 5.11
Per cent of volunteers and non-volunteers by when they are more
comfortable by sex of the students
Volunteers Non
volunteers Total
Sig. of Chi-
Square
All
When alone 3.33 17.50 20.83
0.001 In group 27.50 19.17 46.67
In both time 19.17 13.33 32.50
Male
When alone 3.33 18.33 21.67
0.019 In group 30.00 20.00 50.00
In both time 16.67 11.67 28.33
Female
When alone 3.33 16.67 20.00
0.036 In group 25.00 18.33 43.33
In both time 21.67 15.00 36.67
Total 50.00 50.00 100.00
Co-curricular Activities
In the higher education sector the co-curricular activities are part of the
system. The involvement of students in such activities such as sports, games,
arts etc. provide them experiences to build an intellectually and physically fit
balanced individual. The chances of selection in promising jobs are higher for
such students. Moreover, competent sportsmen and artists bring laurels to the
country. The present study analyse to what extent the number of National
Service Scheme volunteers is participating in co-curricular activities such as
223
sports, games, arts and etc. Sports/games/arts are immaterial to membership in
National Service Scheme
Figure 5.13 presents the age distribution of volunteers and non-
volunteers who participated in co-curricular activities by sex of the students.
The figure shows that in total sample as well as among male and females
participation in co-curricular activities is higher for volunteers. So, one can
come to the conclusion that National Service Scheme volunteers are
comparatively more active and dynamic in co-curricular activities than non-
National Service Scheme students.
Figure 5.13
Per cent of volunteers and non-volunteers who participated in co-curricular
activities by sex of the students
From Table 5.12, it can be seen in the total sample 31.67 percent have
participated in the co-curricular activities, whereas among the non-volunteers
only 8.33 percent have participation in co-curricular activities. Since the
224
significance level of Z-test of proportion is less than 0.05, the difference in the
participation of volunteers and non-volunteers is statistically significant. It
means that the National Service Scheme has an important role in enhancing the
student potentiality through participation in co-curricular activities.
Table 5.12
Per cent of volunteers and non-volunteers who
participated in co-curricular activities by sex of the
students
Volunteers Non
volunteers Sig. of Z
All 31.67 8.33 0.001
Male 33.33 13.33 0.067
Female 30.00 3.33 0.006
In the case of males, 33.33 percent of volunteers participated in co-
curricular activities as against 13.33 percent non-volunteers. But the
significance level of Z-test in greater than 0.05, indicating that though there
exists difference in proportion, it is not statistically significant. At the same
time among the female volunteers 30.00 percent have participation in co-
curricular activities. But among non-volunteers, only 3.33 per cent have
participation in co-curricular activities. Since the significance level of Z-test is
less than 0.05, the difference in proportion of participation between volunteers
and non-volunteers is statistically significant. From the result it can be inferred
that the participation of students in National Service Scheme in general and
225
female students in particular have an important role in enhancing the
potentiality of students through involvement in co-curricular activities.
Physical Status
Sound health in a sound body is the essential requirement for a National
Service Scheme volunteer. The ultimate aim of the National Service Scheme is
personality development through community service. The community have
high expectation of different services from the volunteers. As many of the
community services undertaken by the National Service Scheme in villages and
slums demands manual work, quick movement and timely action. In this
circumstance the better physical stamina and status of the volunteers are
considered highly significant. The following examples of activities of National
Service Scheme explain the context relevance of good physical health status for
the volunteers.
a. An event of disaster management in flood situation/tsunami
b. Rural road construction
c. Repairing of school playground and
d. Check dam construction for water recharging
Figure 5.14 presents the age distribution of volunteers and non-
volunteers who can able to walk 15 km at a stretch. In total and female students,
the age of those who can able to walk 15 km at a stretch is higher among
volunteers and for male the age is the same.
226
Figure 5.14
age distribution of sample students who can you able to walk 15 km at a
stretch
In the case of volunteers, 65.00 percent volunteers and 36.67 percent
non-volunteers made their self-assessment positively regarding their capacity to
walk 15 km at a stretch. The difference in the per cent of volunteers and non-
volunteers are statistically significant as the significance level is 0.036.
Table 5.13
age distribution of sample students who can you able to
walk 15 km at a stretch
Volunteers Non
volunteers Sig. of Z
All 65.00 36.67 0.002
Male 73.33 46.67 0.036
Female 56.67 26.67 0.019
227
In the case of male students more than 73.33 percent of volunteers
expressed their capacity to walk 15 km at a stretch, but the percent of the male
non-volunteers who made it clear the same capacity is only 46.67 percent. The
difference the percent of volunteers and non-volunteers is statistically
significant as the significance level of Z-test is less than 0.05. Similarly among
the female 56.67 percent and only 26.67 percent non-volunteers mentioned
their ability to walk 15 km at a stretch and the difference in the per cent is also
statistically significant. Thus the result indicates that those who are having the
said capacity are more among the volunteers belonging to both the sexes.
Figure 5.15
Age distribution of sample students who can be able to run two km at a
stretch
Figure 5.15 presents age distribution of sample students who can you
able to run two km at a stretch. From the figure it is revealed that there is
difference between the volunteers and non-volunteers in their capacity to run
two km at a stretch.
228
Table 5.14
age distribution of sample students who can you able to run
two km at a stretch
Volunteers
Non
volunteers Sig. of Z
All 38.33 25.00 0.1188
Male 40.00 36.67 0.7948
Female 36.67 13.33 0.0376
Table 5.14 shows that the capacity of volunteers is 38.33 percent
whereas the percent of non-volunteers is 25.00. The difference in the per cents
is not statistically significant. Similarly there is no significant difference in the
ages of male volunteers and male non-volunteers in this respect. However, in
the case of female volunteers and female non-volunteers there exist significant
differences in per cent of those who can able to run two km at a stretch. The
ages in female volunteers and female non-volunteers in the said capacity are
36.67 and 13.33 percent respectively. From the result it can be inferred that the
National Service Scheme can be considered as a vital agency for the physical
empowerment of female students in the campuses of higher education.
General Knowledge and skill for Disaster Management
Disasters are frequent phenomena in the world, which can be considered
as a villain, arresting development, which the humanity achieved over the
229
years. To contain the problem a country must address its cardinal issues for
minimising the havoc of disaster, knowledge and skill development are
prerequisites pre disaster preparedness, activities during disasters and post
disaster relief and rehabilitation. For the above mentioned service, knowledge
and skill about disaster management assumes utmost significance. It is in this
context the National Service Scheme has been taking initiative in
mainstreaming disaster management. For this purpose the National Service
Scheme is imparting knowledge and orienting skills as part of its regular
activities. For example: swimming, golden hours, first aid, artificial breathing
etc.
In the previous four decades after the formation of National Service
Scheme, it has conclusively proved its relevance in the National and state level,
by involving its volunteers and key persons in the disaster hit states. The
following are some of the glaring examples of National Service Scheme
participation in the disaster management.
National level
a. Refugee relief and rehabilitation camp at New Delhi and Kolkota in the
wake of the influx of Bangladeshi war refugees during the Indo-Pakistan
war of 1971.
b. Gujarat earth quack relief of 2001
c. Utharkashi and Lathur earth quack in 2001 and 2002
d. The Cyclone which hit in Andhra Pradesh in 1978
230
e. Tsunami relief activities in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry
and Kerala.
State level
a. Various flood, landslides and relief activities for the victims by the
National Service Scheme volunteers over the past four decades
b. Tsunami relief activities in Ernakulum, Kollam, Alappuzha and
Trivandrum districts of Kerala in 2004
c. Relief operations in the wake of Kadalundi rail accident in 2003
Figure 5.16
Age distribution of student who are aware of disaster management
For the disaster management operation some essential skills are needed.
So, the knowledge of students related to disaster management was assessed by
asking what the disaster management means. Figure 5.17 presents the age
distribution of students who were found to have satisfactory knowledge about
disaster management.
231
From Figure 5.17, it can be seen that among all category of students who
have knowledge about disaster management, the National Service Scheme
volunteers stood higher in number.
Table 5.15 shows that 48.33 percent of volunteers were aware about
disaster management whereas the age of corresponding non-volunteers was
only 8.33 percent. The difference in the proportion is found to be statistically
significant as the significance level is less than 0.05. Among males the
corresponding ages of volunteers and non-volunteers are 50.00 and 16.67
respectively. However it is interesting to note that none of the female non-
volunteers are aware about disaster management.
Table 5.17
Age distribution of student who are aware of disaster
management
All 48.33 8.33 0.000
Male 50.00 16.67 0.006
Female 46.67 0.00 0.000
In a flood/tsunami like disaster management context, the ability to swim
is mandatory, as the volunteers themselves are involved personally to rescue the
victims from the heavy tide of water. In this circumstance the art of swimming
assumes significance for the National Service Scheme volunteers. To save
oneself and help others in the processes of saving the victims from the flood,
232
the knowledge of swimming is considered as an essential component of disaster
management. It is in this circumstance the students were asked to respond on a
question on their ability to swim.
Figure 5.15 presents the age distribution of students who can be able to
swim. The figure shows that in all categories of students, age of those who are
able to swim is higher among volunteers.
Figure 5.17
Age distribution of students who can be able to swim
From Table 5.15, it can be seen that for total sample 25.00 percent
volunteers were able to swim whereas among non-volunteers the percent of
those who are able to swim is 15.00. The difference is 10 percent. However the
difference is not statistically significant because the significant level of Z-test is
greater than 0.05. Among male volunteers the per cent of those who can able to
swim is 26.67 and that of non-volunteers is 16.67 with a difference of
10 percent. For female volunteers the per cent of those who can swim is 23.33
233
which is less than above 3 percent. However the difference in the percent
between volunteers and non-volunteers is not statistically significant.
Table 5.15
Age distribution of students who can be able to swim
Volunteers Non volunteers Sig. of Z
All 25.00 15.00 0.174
Male 26.67 16.67 0.347
Female 23.33 13.33 0.317
In natural disaster situations as flood, drought, cyclone, earth quake,
tsunami, etc. and the manmade disaster like warfront, vehicular accident, riots,
etc. the precious human life used to be at stake. In many cases, during the
golden hour, the emergency facilitation of artificial breathing is an extreme
necessity. It is in these kinds of situation the knowledge and experience of
artificial breathing emerges as an extreme need. That is why the National
Service Scheme volunteers were asked to respond the question on artificial
breathing. In the national level and in the state level disaster management is one
of its flagship programmes. Hence the importance of knowledge about artificial
breathing is significant in a disaster management situation.
Figure 5.16 presents the age distribution of students who know about
artificial breathing. The figure shows for all categories of students the age of
those who know about artificial breathing is higher among volunteers.
234
Figure 5.18
Age distribution of students who know about artificial breathing
From Table 5.16, it can be seen that for total students 46.67 percent
knew about artificial breathing and the percent of non-volunteers who knew
about artificial breathing is only 10 percent the difference in the ages of
volunteers and non-volunteers in this regard is statistically significant as the
significance level of Z-test is less than 0.05.
Table 5.16 also shows that knowledge about artificial breathing is higher
among males than females. Among males 50 percent of volunteers and 10.00
percent non-volunteers have the knowledge about artificial breathing. Among
females 43.33 percent of volunteers and 10 percent of non-volunteers have
knowledge about artificial breathing. For both male and female the proportion
of those who knew about artificial breathing among volunteers and non-
volunteers are statistically significant.
235
Table 5.17
Age distribution of students who know about artificial breathing
Volunteers Non volunteers Sig. of Z
All 46.67 10.00 0.000
Male 50.00 10.00 0.000
Female 43.33 10.00 0.004
The first hour of trauma is termed the “Golden Hour” by the Emergency
Medical Services (EMS). The idea is that trauma victims have the best survival
chance if they are in surgery within one hour after the accident. The knowledge
about Golden Hour is universally considered as the basic requirement for those
who involves in handling emergency accident situation, where the victims
needed the intervention of volunteers with a helping hand. Hence the question
is asked to the students on the Golden Hour.
Figure 5.19
Age distribution of students who know about golden hours
Figure 5.17 presents the age distribution of students who are aware
about Golden Hour. The figure shows that in all category of students, age of
those who are aware of Golden Hour are higher among volunteers.
236
Table 5.16
Age distribution of students who know about golden hours
Volunteers
Non
volunteers Sig. of Z
All 35.00 11.67 0.003
Male 36.67 13.33 0.038
Female 33.33 10.00 0.029
Table 5.16 shows that for the total sample, 35 percent volunteers and
only 11.67 percent non-volunteers knew about Golden Hour. The difference in
age of volunteers and non-volunteers who knew about Golden Hour are
statistically significant as the significance level is less than 0.05 percent.
Among males and females, the ages of those who knew about Golden Hour
differ significantly.
Role of National Service Scheme in Enhancing the Students Potentiality
The role of National Service Scheme in enhancing the students
potentiality is studied using Logistic Regression by taking membership in
National Service Scheme as the dependent variable and academic achievement,
communication skill, attitudinal change towards manual work, attitude towards
women, score of leadership skill, Involvement in extra-curricular activities and
score of general knowledge as independent variables. Backward selection
method of regression analysis was carried out to extract the independent
variables which have significant impact on the dependent variable.
237
The independent variable academic achievement includes the age of
marks in the first year of University Final Year Examinations in 2009-10 which
is taken as continuous variables. The independent variables representing for
communication skill, attitudinal change towards manual work and attitude
towards women were also taken as continuous variables. The independent
variables representing leadership skills, involvement in extra-curricular
activities and score of general knowledge are taken as dummy variables. Table
5.18 presents the coefficients of initial logistic regression model and Table 5.19
presents the coefficients of final logistic regression model.
Table 5.18
Coefficients of Logistic Regression in the First Step
Independent variables B S.E. Sig.
age marks for
English 0.188 0.099 0.056
Second language 0.054 0.055 0.326
Subsidiary -0.147 0.080 0.065
Main -0.014 0.062 0.818
Total 0.034 0.206 0.868
Participation in sports/arts =1
0 otherwise 12.544 4.713 0.008
Score of opinion on find themselves
misunderstanding others -0.077 0.363 0.832
Score of opinion on difficulty in
getting their points across clearly -0.005 0.368 0.989
Score of opinion about seat
reservation for women in buses -1.957 0.782 0.012
Comfortable when alone =1
0 otherwise -10.702 4.435 0.016
238
Take domestic work = 1
0 otherwise 0.937 1.498 0.531
Can swim =1
0 otherwise 9.496 3.762 0.012
Can able to walk 15 km = 1
0 otherwise -4.872 2.599 0.061
Can run 2 km = 1
0 otherwise 11.969 4.798 0.013
Know about Golden hours = 1
O otherwise 0.629 2.429 0.796
Know to give artificial breathing =1
O otherwise 4.058 2.476 0.101
Know about disaster management =1
0 otherwise 2.693 1.604 0.093
Sex: Male = 1
Female = 0 -1.197 1.060 0.259
Constant 0.113 4.487 0.980
-2 Log likelihood Cox & Snell R
Square Nagelkerke R Square
43.967 0.639 0.852
Table 5.19 shows that out of 18 only 10 independent variables have
significant impact on the dependent variable, membership in National Service
Scheme. The age marks for English and subsidiary were found to be significant
to the membership in National Service Scheme. Mark in English is found to be
higher among National Service Scheme volunteers compared to non-volunteers
as the beta coefficient of the regression model is positive. At the same time
volunteers of National Service Scheme have comparatively lower mark than
non-volunteers. As the beta coefficient of the logistic model is positive for the
239
independent variable representing participation in sports/arts, the participation
of National Service Scheme volunteers is said to be higher in sports/arts as
compared to non-volunteers. The beta coefficient of score of opinion about seat
reservation for women in buses is negative which means that volunteers of
National Service Scheme are less favourable to seat reservation for women in
buses compared to non-volunteers.
The beta coefficient of comfortable when alone is negative indicating
that National Service Scheme volunteers do not like to be alone as compared to
non-volunteers. This indicates that leadership quality is higher among National
Service Scheme volunteers.
Table 5.19
Coefficients of Logistic Regression in the Final Step
Independent variables B S.E. Sig.
age marks for English 0.218 0.059 0.000
Subsidiary -0.100 0.042 0.017
Participation in sports/arts =1
0 otherwise 10.161 3.300 0.002
Score of opinion about seat
reservation for women in buses -1.473 0.516 0.004
Comfortable when alone =1
0 otherwise -7.853 2.609 0.003
Can swim =1
0 otherwise 7.380 2.510 0.003
240
Can able to walk 15 km = 1
0 otherwise -3.271 1.598 0.041
Can run 2 km = 1
0 otherwise 8.588 2.930 0.003
Know to give artificial breathing =1
O otherwise 3.316 1.608 0.039
Know about disaster management =1
0 otherwise 1.565 0.985 0.112
Constant -1.009 2.230 0.651
-2 Log likelihood Cox & Snell R
Square Nagelkerke R Square
48.726 0.625 0.833
Similarly swimming is more prevalent among National Service Scheme
volunteers as the variable representing swimming has positive beta coefficient.
National Service Scheme volunteers are found to be less capable of walking
long distance. But they are more capable of running short distance. Knowledge
about giving artificial breathing and knowledge about disaster management are
higher among National Service Scheme volunteers than non-volunteers.
In short, members of National Service Scheme are significantly better
than non-volunteers in many aspects of student’s potentiality
National Service Scheme and Community
In addition to the students the other direct beneficiary of National
Service Scheme is Community. So, impact of National Service Scheme on
241
Community derives importance from planning and policy point of view of the
State.
Means of relationship
National Service Scheme and community interact with each other
through various activities, campaigns, programmes, projects, clubs and etc.
Blood Grouping and Blood Donation as well as Pain and Palliative Care are
some of the main National Service Scheme activities. National Service Scheme
campaign includes Anti-ragging Campaign, Anti-Terrorism Campaign, Traffic
Awareness Campaign and Anti-drug Campaign.
Care and Share Programmes, Miss a Meal Programme, Women
Empowerment Programme, Legal Literacy Programme, National Integration
Programme, Energy conservation Programme, First Aid, Adolescent health
Education, Cleanliness through homes, Collaborative Programmes with other
Departments and Organisations are some of the main National Service Scheme
programs.
National Service Scheme projects consist of Road Construction
Projects, Agricultural Projects, Our tree project, Water Literacy Project,
Pilgrims’ Project, Home for the Homeless Project and Student Police Cadet.
Bhoomitra Sena Club and Red Ribbon Club are the prominent National Service
Scheme clubs. Upliftment of Tribal People, Creation of Durable Assets,
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Functional Literacy and Disaster Management are the other functions of
National Service Scheme.
Community Project:
Chenkal Valiyakulam Rejuvenation.
A community collective endeavour, Gandhi Mitra Mandalam and
NationaService Scheme, of all the voluntary community service, undertaken by
the National Service Scheme of the University of Kerala, the Chenkal
Valiyakulam Rejuvenation and Revival Project significantly remains as a
replicable success story, in the campus-community partnership in
environmental enrichment12. Chenkal Valiyakulam is an extensive wetland in
the heart of Chenkal Grama Panchayath, in Neyyatinkara Taluk of
Thiruvananthapuram district, in the state of Kerala. It is situated 3.5Km away
from N.H-47 and 400 meters from the Kovalam –Kanyakumari bye-pass road.
It is bigger than a big pond, almost lake like dimension of 27 acres, rectangular
in shape and surrounded by hundreds of coconut trees .Unaware of official
division of this environmental marvel, it lays divided between 11 and 16 wards
of the Chenkal Grama Panchayath. The water of the pond was used for multi-
purpose before 40 years, like bathing, fishing, irrigation and cleaning the body
of cattle. The unbridled abuse of harmful, artificial fertilizers in the nearby
paddy fields and the expansion of bathroom attached houses alienated this
wonderful piece of a natural reservoir, from the lives of people. A culture of
detachment with the pond was developing during this period, which ultimately
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deteriorated the very existence this natural water tank. In its hay day, the
enchanting image of sunrise and sunset was mirrored in the dawn and dusk in
the pond. A sizable number of natives even believed in the curing capacity of
its water.
The pond had been left unused for over four decades, overgrown with
water weeds and creepers as a breeding house of poisonous snakes and harmful
mosquitoes. In course of time, it was degraded to the position of a convenient
dumbing ground of empty wine bottles and daily wastes of hotels and
restaurants. The dense growth of waterweeds and creepers in and around the
pond had formed itself into a thick covering, over which people could walk,
from one side of the pond to the other. In 2002, as reported by the neighbors of
the pond, officials from Geological Survey of India, examined the
environmental potential of the pond and said to have found that if it is revived
into its natural and original status, it can recharge the area with water over 10
kilometre radius. The people of the region represented the pitiable position of
the pond before the governmental agencies several times, but only fell in deaf
ears. Finally, to make matters worse, as a logical climax of repeated
representations and popular pressures, in 1999, the cleaning of the pond was
called for a tender of rupees 65 lakhs. The contractor carried out the work,
diametrically opposite to the needs of the people and the purpose of the project.
Allegations of a network of nexus, is a household story in Chenkal. The work
has been cited as a glaring example of misuses of public fund. Complaints after
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complaints were lodged against the contractor, which resulted in the
cancellation of his license in 2002.
Figure 5.20
Chenkal Grama Panchayath
in Neyyatinkara Taluk of Thiruvananthapuram district13
Wards of Chenkal Grama Panchayath
I.Keezhakolla VIII.Arayoorkizak XV.Kunnamvila
II.Vattavila IX.Ponvila XVI.Chenkalkizhakku
III.Kudumbottukonam X.Thottinkara XVII.Chenkal
IV.Kombottukonam XI.Poorannoor XVIII.Vlathankarakizhakku
V.Udayankulangara XII.Meelammakam XIX.Keezhammakam
VI.Kottamam XIII.Koodankara XX.Vlathankara
VII.Arayoor XIV.Maryapuram XX1.Nechiyoor
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It was in this context, that the Gandhi Mitra Mandalam, a voluntary
organization adhering to the reconstruction philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, the
father of the Nation, rose to the occasion and intervened in the problem, by
forming a sub-committee with a popular base, on 05/03/2009,and subsequently
a hunger strike was staged in the Valiyakulam junction, under the dynamic and
committed leader ship of Mr. Sanil Kulathinkal which was auspiciously
inaugurated by the Veteran Gandhian state leader Mr. P. Gopinathan Nair,
chairman, Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, and on the same day at 10.30 P.M
Mr. Sasi Tharoor, member of Parliament delivered the valedictory address and
promised all the possible assistance. Initiated by Gandhi Mitra Mandalam, with
an active support of Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, the Valiyakulam Action Council,
set in motion the primary steps in the second October 2009 for seemingly
hilarious task of cleaning the pond, to revive its water and to facilitate a peoples
action for a common cause. In the circumstances, this noble Endeavour was
formally inaugurated by the former minister of Health, Government of Kerala
Mr. V. M. Sudheeran in the presence of hundreds of people at Chenkal, which
was followed by the process of cleaning the pond by using the manual service
of native volunteers and later on the service of JCB was also used.
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Twenty seven acre pond before renovation
The Minister for Education inaugurating the work
National Service Scheme volunteers in action
247
Rejuvenation of the Chenkal Big Pond (Valiyakulam14)
Despite all these efforts, it was realized that one J.C.B can clean only
30 cents even in 10 hours. Eventually it was found that the energy of the initial
stage of the native people was exhausting not because of their laziness, but on
account of the mammoth volume of work left unfinished and could not achieve
the targeted task in the proposed manner. It was in this juncture that the NSS
unit of the Trivandrum Government Law College was informed about the
challenging sort of national service, for which they responded positively and
gracefully, by organizing their seven day annual special camp at Chenkal from
8-14December,2009. The boys and girls volunteers visited almost all houses of
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the area and conducted an exhaustive survey. The young and enthusiastic
volunteers convinced the gravity of the situation and sensitized the need for a
combined and concerted action to the Chenkal community. The concern of
Gandhi Mitra Mandalam was equally shared by Prof. B. Sreekumar; the NSS
programme co-ordinator, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, who was
instrumental in organizing a university level NSS camp as part of the cleaning
project of the big pond, from December 18-24, 2009. The NSS volunteers of
the following collage actively participated in the mega event:- University
College, S.N College Chempazhanthy, Christian College Kattakada, K.N.M
College Kanjiramkulam, U.I.T College Neyyatinkara, Immanuel College
Vazhuthakad and V.T.M N.S.S College Dhanuvachapuram.
On December 18, 2009 Mr. M. A. Baby Former Minister for
Education, Government of Kerala, visited the historic site of the National
Service Scheme. Mr. Sasi Tharoor the former minister for state, External
Affairs, Government of India and the sitting Member of Parliament, visited the
place and handed over a cheque of Rs.50, 000/ from his family foundation
namely Chandran Tharoor Foundation.
Leadership
The leadership of Chankal Valiyakulam Renovation Project was in the
hands of two voluntary organisations – Gandhi Mitra Mandalam and the
National Service Scheme of the University of Kerala. The significance of the
leadership was that all the political parties of the area, irrespective of their
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individual political leanings, accepted the leadership and acted in a
collaborative way. The project was elevated to the position of a people’s project
and it should be noted that the Gramma Panchyat extended all their support to
the project.
Funding
Apart from the voluntary manual service rendered by the National
Service Scheme volunteers of the University of Kerala and the service minded
local youth, an amount of 20 lakhs were spent by the Governmental and non-
Governmental philanthropic agencies. The details of fund released are shown
below.
Sl.No Amount in
Agencies
1 7.5 lakhs Voluntary public contributions
2 7.0 lakhs Kerala Environmental Agency
3 5.0 lakhs Kerala Sports Council
4 50, 000 Chandran Tharoor Foundation
Manpower
The Chankal National Service Scheme Camp was organised in the
premises of the pond. The boy-girl composition of the volunteers was about
75:25. The boy volunteers and girl volunteers used to stay in separate places.
The former in the dormitory of Gandhi Mitra Mandalam, a Gandhian
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organisation who initiated the project and the latter stayed in the house of the
General Convenor of the project, along with his parents, wife and children15.
The manpower of the project consists of the National Service Scheme
volunteers and the voluntary local youth. Their routine manual service start
from 8 am to 12 noon and from 2 pm to 4 pm for a period of one month. During
this period a total of 14,000 NSS volunteers and 6000 native, local volunteers
offered their service which amount to 1,20,000 man-hours.
Significance of the Project
It is the most recent collaborative project of National Service Scheme
and environmentally sensitized indigenous population, initiated by the
Gandhian Organization propelled by a feeling of water conservation. As pure
water is depleting day by day and its demand is increasing throughout the
world. In this phenomenal global question, this co-operative concord of NSS
and the voluntary organization, for the rebirth of a gigantic water body, is a
form of creative local response for a contemporary global problem. It can also
be considered as a meaningful and tangible extension of higher education from
the campus to the community on the driving spirit of Gandhian philosophy of
education: learning by doing.16
Current Status of the Project
The 90 percent of the weeds and waters of the big pond have been
cleared and one country boat and three two-seated fiber boats have been floated
251
into the pond , intending to promote tourism in this 27 acre natural water body,
by charging rupees five for half an hour rowing. On the second October 2010,
the rejuvenated water of the Valiyakulam Project was dedicated to the Nation
by Mr.V.M Sudheeran as Gandhi Theertham or as Gandhian Holy water.
Future Plans
The Gandhi Mitra Mandalam, the temporary custodian of the pond for
Maintenance and Conservation, is optimistic regarding the necessary funds
from the Government of India, State Government, Local Self-Government
Institutions and likeminded voluntary organizations. It is proposed to begin the
following. Projects like eco-tourism, a virtual university of water sports training
and Ornamental fish aquarium17.
It is also plan to develop a medicinal garden in the vicinity of the pond.
It goes without saying that the primary purpose and principal objectives of
facilitation of drinking water and irrigation are its dream for the years to come.
To sum up the Chenkal Valiyakulam Rejuvenation and Revival Project,
initiated by the Gandhian organisations, with the support of local community,
irrespective of their political affiliations has opened a new chapter in local
co-ordination and liaisoning for developmental initiative. The intervention of
National Service Scheme in the environmental enrichment mission in a
dedicated manner has significantly changed the outlook and attitude of the
community towards the National Service Scheme and its community service
252
activities. The pooling of the energy of the local people, a non-governmental
organisation like Gandhi Mithra Mandalam and the National Service Scheme
volunteers along with its programme coordinator and teacher programme
officers, is a success story in the national reconstruction programme, using the
youth potential of the campus and the community. It is expected that other
Universities and Institutions of Higher Education will learn a lesson from this
mega campus-community project. The creativity of the student youth and the
productivity of the project deserves due recognition from the whole hearted
people, environmentalists and patriot citizens of the country.
Opinion about the project
The present section is an attempt to evaluate and verify the theory and
practice of National Service Scheme18, based on its social outreach
programmes. Here the endeavour can also be considered as an innovative
collaboration by utilising the youth energy, enthusiasm and creativity of the
National Service Scheme volunteers for a socially useful productive programme
with the volunteers of the locality. It is one of the national objectives of
education propounded by Mahatma Gandhi and recommended by the
Commissions of Education. In effect it is an extension dimension of higher
education. In the process of involving students in a mega project of this
magnitude for the community development has a gratifying and rewarding
experience. There are four stakeholders who have offered the service in this
novel initiative. Data for this section was collected from the four stakeholders
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through group discussion using guidelines based on the following objectives of
the study.
To assess the significance of National Service Scheme in higher
education
To examine the role of National Service Scheme in enhancing the
students potentiality
To evaluate the impact of National Service Scheme on the community
Opinion of Student
The first section is the student volunteers whose purpose is to discharge
the community service and avail its benefit in the form of a learning field
experience19 and ultimately develop their personality by modifying their
attitude towards manual work, community living, and leadership quality and
women empowerment. The camp is also a facilitation to know the pulseand
problems of the countrymen at the grass root level. It can be observed that the
student volunteers of National Service Scheme are drinking deeply from the
camp experiences in the form of community learning, which is the paramount
objective of the National Service Scheme.
A detailed interaction was made with the twenty student volunteers to
elicit their views about the project. Both the male and female volunteers opined
that the overall objective of the National Service Scheme i.e., personality
development through community service, to a large extent has been
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materialised. The following are the important reflections of the student
volunteers who actively participated in the camp.
Students are of the opinion that students in the higher education
institution very much achieve personality development by involving in the
community activity like Chenkel Valiyakulam Rejuvenation Project. Students
have got ample opportunities to reach out the community by working with the
project. They also evaluated that community have develop a positive attitude
towards the student community.
The direct interaction and sharing of the volunteers of one college with
the volunteers of other colleges and local volunteers are reported as an
enriching experience by all volunteers in one voice. The camp, in general, was
evaluated by the volunteers as an exceptionally rewarding experience in
enriching their skills and enhancing their potentials in the friendliest and frank
atmosphere
The local people have more practical knowledge as compared to student
volunteers. The National Service Scheme volunteers could convince the local
people that the campus youth have utility and creativity even during their study
period. Linkages of the campus with the community using the medium of
National Service Scheme is a mutually benefiting initiative
Opinion of the Community
The second component is the local community who are the
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immediate beneficiary of the project20. To assess their views about the project,
twenty five household from the immediate neighbourhood were contacted and
interacted with a pre-structured guideline and they responded promptly.
As water is an essential commodity, its rejuvenation and refinement in
their immediate locality with the manual and material assistance of external
agencies is highly appreciated. Their participation in the problem solving
process of their region is considered as addressing a global problem at the local
level that is the menace of shrinking of pure water bodies on the planet.
The opinion of the community in connection with the Chenkel
Valiyakulam Rejuvenation Project is that the student volunteers in the higher
education sector could very well internalize the felt needs of the community at
the grass root level. The experience and exposure provided by the projects to
the students have facilitated them to enhance their personal effectiveness in the
areas of leadership quality, attitude towards manual work, community living,
communication skill and environmental sensitivity.
As per the members of the community, the active involvement of
students in the project, could break the schema that the students in the higher
education sector are not doing any socially useful productive work.20
The community felt that the project was long pending in need of
implementation and the initiative for renovation was whole heartedly
welcomed. The members of the community reported that the National Service
256
Scheme volunteers meticulously followed the guidance of the experienced local
people and acted in tandem for the realisation of the targeted task
There was no difference of opinion about the utility of the pond. The
community expect that the natural reservoir can be of immense use for
irrigation, recharging the level of ground water, learning the art of swimming
for the children, boating as part of the proposed tourism project and for taking
bath.
Before the implimantation of the project, only a few of them heard about
National Service Scheme and its activities. After the project was implemented,
the community learned a lot about the national service of the National Service
Scheme at the local level. The community felt that the National Service Scheme
was acting as a bridge to link the community with the campus for socially
useful productive programmes.
Opinion of Local Leaders about Renovation
As local leaders were very much conversant about the pressing needs of
the local community, the evaluation of the local leaders assume utmost
significance especially in the wake of the on-going de-centralised local
planning of the Local Self Government Institutions. The local leaders wanted to
utilise the pond for the future development of the area. Nine local leaders of the
three tier panchayat were participated in the group discussion and expressed
their views about the project and its implementation.
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As per the local leaders, the participation of National Service Scheme
volunteers in the Chenkel Valiyakulam Rejuvenation Project can be considered
as a significant and meaningful extension of the campus to the community. The
dynamic involvement of the National Service Scheme volunteers in the cited
project was said to be an eye opener for the Local Administration.
Generally the local leaders welcomed the project. They shared their past
experience about red tapeism and lethargy of bureaucracy. They felt that the
renovation of the pond was an urgent need, as it has socio-economic
implications in the development of the area. The National Service Scheme
volunteers participated in the renovation of the pond with the indigenous
support of the non-student local youth. Both worked in an atmosphere of
corporation and mutual sharing. The community leaders are planning the
maintenance of the pond by hiring local manpower from the premises of the
pond, who are otherwise keenly interested in its maintenance.
Opinion of Local Administrators about Renovation
The six available members of the Chenkel Grama Panchayat were
involved in the group discussion and expressed their views about the project
and its implementation. The local administrators explained the reasons for
delaying the implementation of the project and justified their positions as
(a) Paucity of sufficient funds (b) opinion was divided among the ruling and
opposition councillors and (c) Transfer of the staff who were genuinely
interested in the project.
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Local administrators opined that the renovation of the pond was an
urgent need of the community, but they failed to implement it for reasons
beyond their control. The National Service Scheme volunteers engaged in the
renovation work with the support of local volunteers. They found a novel
opinion about the National Service Scheme as it was a gap-filling mechanism
of local development with the campus-community participation. The local
administrators emphatically assured that the pound would be maintained easily
as the project is likely to generate income.
The present study examines the role of National Service Scheme in
enhancing the students’ potentiality by comparing volunteers and non-
volunteers in educational achievement, communication skill, attitude towards
manual work, attitude towards women, leadership skill, involvement in
co-curricular activities and general knowledge. A multi-stage assessment of a
National Service Scheme activity was conducted to evaluate the impact of
National Service Scheme on the community.
To assess the significance of National Service Scheme in higher
education the study examines the administrative structure of National Service
Scheme in the national and the state levels, the strength of National Service
Scheme in different segments of higher education in Kerala and the
development of National Service Scheme in the universities, schools and
Technical Education. The study shows that the structural hierarchy of the
National Service Scheme is conducive to its harmonious growth and expansion
259
in the centres of higher education. It has an inbuilt mechanism to implement its
programmes and activities in a befitting manner.
As the universities are the premier centres of higher education which are
not only contributing for the socio-economic development of the country but
also moulding the student youth as committed citizens of the country, the
National Service Scheme in the most appropriate manner invested its volunteer
strength (51 percent). The idea is to appropriate the dynamism of the intelligent
youth of the country for building the Nation. It is heartening to find that, by
assessing the pressing demands of the student youth, the Government of India is
found to have enhancing the strength of National Service Scheme.
As far as the development of the National Service Scheme is concerned,
the study reveals that the total number of volunteers is increasing in Kerala in
an irregular mode. The number National Service Scheme volunteers in the state,
is found to be increasing in almost an exponential manner with obvious
fluctuations. The number of National Service Scheme volunteers in the
Universities of Kerala also recorded fluctuating growth rates. Though the
implementation of National Service Scheme in schools delayed up to 1991-92,
its development was fairly good as compared to that in institutions of Technical
Education. The demerit of the irregular growth is that certain cohorts of
students are deprived of the benefit, experience and the exposure of this
students’ scheme.
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The present study examined the role of National Service Scheme in
enhancing the students’ potentiality by taking a sample of 120 students were
taken from the final year degree classes of the University of Kerala using a
multi stage random sampling method.
The majority of students reported that they have joined National Service
Scheme to utilize the chances for visiting different places of historical and
tourist importance. Another reason for joining National Service Scheme was to
experience and feel the enchanting beauty in the cultural diversity of their
motherland. Another reason for enrolling in National Service Scheme was the
spirit of volunteerism and an urge to learn the problems of the community. Free
mingling of boys and girls for sharing their pains and pleasures is recorded as
another significant reason for their attraction towards National Service Scheme.
The analysis shows that only 23.33 percent of the volunteers are fully
aware of the objective of National Service Scheme. The rest are either mistaken
or partially understood its declared objectives. It shows that there is an urgent
need to orient the volunteers on the objectives of National Service Scheme.
The result of the study shows that the membership in the National
Service Scheme improved the overall performance of the students in general
and in particularly their performance in languages. As languages are the means
of communication, the involvement in the National Service Scheme can be said
to have a positive impact on the communication skills of the students.
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The study also shows that total performance of male volunteers and
female volunteers are significantly higher than their non-volunteer counterparts.
The student volunteers are taken out by the National Service Scheme officers
and provided with a variety of opportunities to enrich their personal
effectiveness. During the special camps it is customary to present cultural
activities by the volunteers as well as the local youth. In this sharing of the
stage by the volunteers as well as the non-student youth volunteers of the
locality a cultural fusion takes place.
National Service Scheme facilitates a venue for the development of the
personality of its volunteers by sharing their campus experience with the
cohorts in the villages and slums. The subsequent evaluation and healthy
criticism in the presence of competent key persons of National Service Scheme,
in effect act, as a finishing school for development of communication skills in
the youth volunteers. In this context one can equate the National Service
Scheme, though in a limited extent, as a tool for reviving the deteriorated values
in education especially with reference to the dignity of labour.
The ages in female volunteers and female non-volunteers in the said
capacity are 36.67 and 13.33 percent respectively. From the result it can be
inferred that the National Service Scheme can be considered as a vital agency
for the physical empowerment of female students in the campuses of higher
education. However it is interesting to note that none of the female non-
volunteers are aware about disaster management. Among all categories of
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students, age of those who are able to swim is higher among volunteers. At the
same time the knowledge about artificial breathing is higher among males than
females. For both male and female the proportion of those who knew about
artificial breathing among volunteers and non-volunteers are statistically
significant.
Similarly the art of swimming is more prevalent among National Service
Scheme volunteers as the variable representing swimming has positive beta
coefficient. National Service Scheme volunteers are found to be less capable of
walking long distance. But they are more capable of running short distance.
Knowledge about giving artificial breathing and knowledge about disaster
management are higher among National Service Scheme volunteers than non-
volunteers.
In short, the National Service Scheme can be considered as a meaningful
and tangible extension of higher education reaching out the campus to the
community imbibing the driving spirit of Gandhian philosophy of education:
learning by doing.
The study also evaluated the impact of National Service Scheme on the
community by collecting relevant secondary data and conducting a field survey
related to a major project on the rejuvenation of a big pond of 27 acres named
Chenkal Valiyakum in Neyyatinkara Taluk of Trivandrum district in Kerala.
The result of the study indicates that the National Service Scheme is acting as a
competent facilitating agency for local development by pooling the creative
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energy and youth dynamism of the campus and the local community. The
opinion of the involved National Service Scheme volunteers reveals that the
project was a learning experience for them. More over the popular print media
of Kerala ‘Mathrubhumi’ and ‘Malayala Manorama’ lauded the project.21
From the results of analysis of the secondary and primary data, and from
the field experience it can be concluded that the National Service Scheme have
a profound impact on the student volunteers and the community.21 In the light
of the findings it can be very well establish that the National Service Scheme,
as a critical and extension component of higher education, is an effective
agency that is to be implemented for the needs of the students of higher
education
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References
1. NSS Mannal, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of
India, New Delhi, 1997.P.13.
2. NSS at a Glance in Kerala, NSS State Level Cell, Thiruvananthapuram,
2010, P.2.
3. Report of the NSS Review Committee, Department of Youth Affairs,
Government of India, New Delhi, 1984, P.9.
4. Source: Volunteers Data, NSS Regional Centre, Thiruvananthapuram,
2011, P.6.
5. Source: NSS State Level Cell, File No:SLC.8/11,17/8/2011,
Thiruvananthapuram, 2011 & NSS Regional Centre Thiruvananthapram,
2011.
6. Source:NSS Regional Centre, Thriuvananthapuram,
7. Source:NSS State Level Cell, Thiruvananthapuram,2011.
8. Source:NSS Regional Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, 2011.
9. Source:NSS State Level Cell, Thiruvananthapuram, 2011.
10. Source:NSS Regional Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, 2011.
11. Source:NSS Techinal Cell, Thiruvananthapuram, 2011.
12. Source: Directorate of Training and Employment,Thiruvananatha-
puram.
13. Source:http://www.trueknowledge.com.
265
14. Report of NSS Unit, Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram,
2009, P.5.
15. Source:Chenkal Grama Panchayath, Thiruvananthapuram, 2010
16. Source:NSS Regional Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, 2010
17. Report of Gandhi Mitra Mandalam, Chenkel, Thiruvananthapuram,
2010 P.4
18. Source:NSS State Level Cell, Thiruvananthapuram, 2010
19. Annual Report of NSS Regional Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, 2010.
P.9.
20. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Government of India,
National Service Scheme Regional Centre, Poomkulam, Thiruvanantha-
puram).
21. Mathrubhumi Daily October 3,2010 and Malayalam Manorama Daily,
October 3, 2010, Thiruvananthapuram edition
