Objectives of the Practice:

The college has a strong NSS wing working under the NSS Cell, University of Jammu. At present the college is running three NSS Units. The institution promotes NSS for the all-round development and character building of the students as well as to extend its activity at the community level. NSS is the platform for community service. The college has adopted nearby Village Phalote (Barnoti), situated at a distance of 13 kms from Kathua, for its extension activity. Under NSS the college promotes extension work bringing together the campus and the community. The college follows Regular Activity and Special Camp Activity to understand the community in which they work and also understand themselves in relation to their community, identify the needs and problems of the community and involve them in problem solving and help them to develop among themselves a sense of social and civic responsibility. Such activities help them to gain skills in mobilizing community participation and practice national integration and social harmony.

The Context:

Various problems are being faced by villages of Kathua district, drug addiction, poor health and hygiene, lack of awareness about various Govt. Schemes, poor sanitation, garbage disposal problems are a few among them. NSS unit of the college feels if awareness has to be disseminated, women and children are the best sources. Sufficient mobilization is needed to introduce new ideas to the children as they lose interest very easily. Organizing health awareness programme is equally challenging as they seem to hold strong affinity to the age old misconceptions regarding health. The planning and designing of programmes need to be done accordingly.

The Practice:

NSS through the Regular Activity and Special Camp activity involve the teachers, students and the dwellers of the adopted village in:

• Spreading awareness against drug abuse and in Health Awareness Programmes on Cervical Cancer, Breast Cancer.

• Blood Donation

• Tree Plantation

• Awareness about harms of open defecation and importance of building toilets with pits.

• Awareness programmes, rallies, etc. involving the students and the children of Village adopted.

• Swachha Bharat Mission- keeping the college campus and surrounding clean through awareness generation.

• No Plastic campaigns (College to declare its campus as Plastic Free Zone)

• Clean Campus Mission- Awareness Programme with locals around the college campus and about how to keep the locality clean by using bins and discarding the use of carry bags.

• Surveys among the slum dwellers on health, education and environmental awareness

• Awareness generation on E-waste and establishment of E-waste Corner

Evidence of Success:

The community service extended to the adopted village dwellers has been rewarding. Most of the villages are aware about maintaining personal health and hygiene. Village streets which were once stinky due to poor sanitation are now clean. Most of the households have constructed toilets and open defecation has almost stopped. Villages and college students themselves are marching towards being totally plastic free in the years to come. Tree cutting has reduced in the area. Compost pit has been constructed in the college to harmlessly decompose the college waste into manure.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required:

The NSS units of the college has a separate committee with energetic young and senior teachers. The college authority extends all-encompassing support. The committee takes decisions on regular activities and special camp activities through periodic meetings. The limited grant allotted by the Government is a constraint in itself. Apart from this sometimes the volunteers find it difficult to encourage locals to invest adequate time in learning. Although people are made aware of problems which plastic bag use may create but the failure on part of Govt. agencies in banning the sale of plastic bags is a major hindrance in the success of the efforts made.

Notes:

The campus-community interaction serves a dual purpose. On the one hand it encourages social mixing among a diversified people promoting communal harmony and fraternity and on the other hand such frequent interactions with college students raise enthusiasm among children to join higher institutions of study for a better future.

The NCC strives to be and is one of the greatest cohesive Forces of the nation, bringing together the youth hailing from different parts of the country and moulding them into United, Secular and Disciplined Citizens of the nation. The NCC aims at developing Discipline, Character , Brotherhood, the Spirit of adventure and ideals of selfless service amongst the young citizens. It also aims to enlighten Leadership qualities among the Youth who will serve the Nation regard less of which career they choose. It also motivates the Young to choose a career in Armed forces.

The Context:

The NCC is a responsive, learning and continuously evolving organization. Its activity is guided by certain core values that we endeavour to instil among all ranks of the NCC. These include the following:

The cadets should aware and develop the patriotic commitment to encourage cadets to contribute to national development.

Respect for diversities in religion, language, culture, ethnicity, life style and habitat to instil a sense of National unity and social cohesion.

The cadets should be available for community development programme and other social programme

The Practice

NCC, Govt Degree College, Kathua, has the privilege of having three Army units belonging Armed, Naval and Infantry Wings with a vacancy of 120, 50 and 60 cadets, respectively. The Armed wing enrolls only boys, naval wing both boys and girls while infantry wing enrolls only girls. The schedule of NCC activities begins with its maiden activity by marking their presence in the Local Independence Day parade on 15th of August every year by presenting an Impressive March Past at District Headquater. There after starts the systematic schedule with a motto of providing proper Training and exposure to the NCC Cadets by deputing them to different Camps such as "Thal Sainik Camp". " Special National Integration Camps", " National Integration Camp", "Trekking Camps", "Regular Army Attachment Camp", Training Capsules at Officers Training Academy (OTA)", "Indian Military Academy Camp (IMA)","Basic Leadership Camp", "Advanced Leadership Camp", "Rock Climbing Camp" , "Combined Annual Training Camps", "Annual Training Camps", Republic Day Camp at New Delhi" and above all the NCC's Most Prestigious Camp named as "Youth Exchange Programme" in which the college NCC cadets have visited different countries. On an average of 100 to 120 NCC Cadets of the college are deputed to attend the above mentioned Camps, throughout the year. The NCC Cadets of the college, are not only excelling in the