The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has decided to
reposition the National Service Scheme (NSS) by adding a new Skill Development
dimension to the scheme. The new focus of the scheme would be on students
attaining employable skills while undertaking work with the community to bring
about sustainable social change and equity. A pilot project to this effect
would be undertaking in the current financial year.
The NSS,
which would now be rechristened as the National Service and Skill Development
(NSSD) Scheme, originally aimed at fostering relevance between higher education
institutions and social well-being. Over a period of time, since the inception
of NSS, the country has undergone socio economic changes, which have
necessitated a review of the Scheme and its
objectives.
The reformulated NSS aims at creating socially
conscientious students ; developing generic and domain led skills that would
enhance student employability ; enabling certification (Diploma) of students in
a employability enhancing skill in addition to receiving a degree in the field
of study.
In
2006, the University Grants Commission issued an advisory encouraging Universities
and Colleges to introduce Career Oriented Programmes at first degree level. The
objective is to introduce career and market-oriented, skill enhancing add-on
courses with potential for job, self-employment and empowerment of the
students. The UGC recommended offering add-on courses at (i) Certificate (20
credits); (ii) Diploma (40 credits inclusive of 20 credits earned during
Certificate Course), and (ii) Advanced Diploma (60 credits inclusive of 40
credits earned together during Certificate and Diploma courses respectively).
Each credit means 15 hours of teaching / practice and significant portion of
the total credit load assigned to field work / project work.
In
keeping with the above, since NSS Volunteers are mandated to do community
service, the idea is to introduce vocational skill oriented certificate and
diploma programmes through which NSS volunteers can gain the course credits
through lectures offered during weekends and practical work done during
vacations.
Program
Design for National Service and Skill Development Scheme (NSSD)
Course
Objective:
Transform National Service Scheme to National Service and Skill Development
Scheme
Eligibility: The NSS pilot would be offered only to the students of 1st
Year of graduation viz, year 13 of their education. All participating
Universities would prepare themselves so as to introduce the program during the
period November- December 2012. While the regular activities of NSS are
allocated 240 hours for 2 years; for the pilot this would need extension for a third
year since it will aid the purpose of providing employable skills, the total
duration of the pilot would be of 3 years.
Need Assessment: The participating University would
conduct a ‘Needs Assessment’ within its immediate ecosystem to assess community
requirements, job opportunities and match these with aspirations of youth. The
results of this assessment would help identify relevant sectors and relevant
skill sets for their students.
Course
Design: In each semester two to four credit
modules will be offered through classroom lectures and tutorials. The modules
will be structured to progressively develop motivation, knowledge and skills to
reach advanced level of competence. Generic and domain skills would be
developed. The generic courses would be compulsory for all students. The
optional courses would be decided by the University based on their local needs
and the recommendation of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). There would
be sufficient flexibility for the Universities and their knowledge partners to
bring in locally relevant content. On weekends and holidays students will work
in the village / urban area during semester vacation. The student can work for
15 days during the vacation to practice knowledge and skills gained during the
semester.
Expected
outcomes: students will acquire skills that
will make them employable locally, nationally and gain certification recognised
by the industry.
Duration: 3 years
Credits
Earned: Certificate (20 credits), diploma
(40 credits) master’s (66 to 80 credits required). Students can opt for the
desired level; and motivated students will go up to Master’s level.
Start
Date: Nov- Dec 2012
Curriculum
Development: A group of experts drawn from
academia, government and industry in each of skill areas will develop
curriculum for the certificate, diploma and advanced courses. Once the
curriculum is developed and finalized by the skill area expert group it will be
placed before the Academic Council (AC) of TISS and submitted to AICTE, UGC and
other bodies. Criteria for course delivery, assessment and certification
standards will be defined by the expert committee for each of the skill areas
and approved by the AC of the TISS. TISS is a centrally funded public university
and has established School of Vocational Education with the blessings from
MHRD, Government of India and funding from AICTE. Those students successfully
completing all requirements will be awarded appropriate level of certification
by the School of Vocational Education, TISS.
Certification: Certificate, Diploma and Advanced level programmes will be
offered in a number of areas suited to the needs of the University. Some
examples include Entrepreneurship Development, Water Management, Rural
Technician, Para Veterinary Services, Para medical services etc.
Faculty/Trainers: A large pool of experts from academia, industry, government
and civil society will be identified as faculty for specific courses. They will
be familiarized through Training of Trainers programme for the respective
course and made available to deliver lectures, tutorials and practical.
Partnerships: There are a number of NGOs with strong domain expertise
working with communities. NGOs empanelled with ministries and government
departments, International NGOs, National CSR Hub for Public Enterprises
working in states, districts and tehsils will be identified. Their ability and
willingness to provide training and guidance for the NSS program at rural and
urban areas will be assessed.
Public
and Private Sector Enterprises, Multi-lateral agencies (like World Bank,
UNICEF, UNDP, etc), and Government Programmes such as NRLM, MGNREGA, BRGF, WASH
and others will be brought in to provide financial support to the NSSD Scheme.
Money generated from these agencies will be made available for the universities
and colleges to implement the NSS Scheme.
This
Scheme brings together State Government, public and private sector enterprises,
multi-lateral agencies and civil society organizations to facilitate the
universities and colleges to transform the nation’s greatest asset – the youth
– into a skilled work force for their own betterment as well as for the
betterment of the nation.
Activities
to be Undertaken by College/ University
Identify
participating colleges in consultation with the Vice Chancellors of the
University & State NSS coordinators; receive “Needs Assessment” forms from
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports; complete “Needs Assessment” forms by
sourcing of information from local administration- District NIC, Collector,
local industry body, corporates, livelihood missions, skill development
mission, NGO’s etc; send completed “Needs Assessment” forms to the Ministry;
identify core team and assign roles for implementation of NSSD pilot; generate
awareness of NSSD amongst students and faculty using talks, posters and other
collateral; start enrolments for NSSD from 1st yr students ; identify and
select courses and field project based on local needs; identify skill
requirements based on local demand estimates; identify collaborative partners-
NGO’s, Corporates etc ; identify faculty for all courses; schedule the courses
based on academic time schedule and implement monitoring mechanism.
Courtesy: PIB
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