The NorthCap university has embedded Community Service as one of the components in the schemes of all programmes across departments/schools of the university. Students will be provided credits for this component in all semesters of their professional degree. Credits are added in the schemes to make students step in the world of human or community service.
Most of the time professional degrees focus on development of the intellectual intelligence quotient, even though emotional intelligence quotient also plays a very important role in the overall success of the life of an individual. By integrating community service component in the schemes, the university has taken an appreciative step towards the growth of good and successful humans. Thus, focus is on the development of emotional quotient as well along with the intellectual quotient.
A committee of faculty member representatives from all schools/departments has been formed at the university level to look after and lead the community service activities. Also, there are around 20 dedicated clubs in the university, that organize activities/services for the community. Few names to mention for the clubs are Yukti, NSS NCU (Govt. of India Scheme), Rotaract Club of NCU (NCU Wing of Rotaract International), The Awaking Club, Sehyog Club, NEEV (Student chapter), Udaan, Chetna, Engineering without Borders etc.
Chetna Club is working under EECE department in The NorthCap University, though students from any discipline can join any of the community service clubs and same is for Chetna Club. The Chetna club undertakes various socially relevant and environment friendly activities like Tree plantation drives, education drives, youth empowerment, deaddiction etc. Trees are not only planted, but they are also treated as friends and are taken care regularly to ensure their growth and thus society may derive many benefits from these planted and grown up trees. Education is not just transfer of knowledge, it includes moral education as well to grow sensible and educated kids even from the poor families, who don’t have enough resources at their disposal. Youth are empowered through motivating lecture series which help them develop their self-confidence. Deaddiction initiatives are taken by spreading the awareness of ill effects of addiction and many others.
The students have shown good interest in all activities for the betterment of the society; they feel so enthusiastic and full of energy when any of the events/activities are planned by all the community service clubs. Students are so happy and contended after spending their time and energies for the good of the needy and the society at large. Most importantly, while students are working for the betterment of others, they themselves are getting better on all the fronts. The tangible outcomes of the community service will be visible in the long run, not only in the society but also through overall personality development of the students of the university.
To conclude, the initiative of The NorthCap University to integrate community service in the schemes of the various programmes of the university will go a long run in developing responsible and successful professionals and at the same time happy and contended citizens of the country.
The author is Dr. Vandana Khanna, faculty in the department of Electrical, Electronics and Communication Engineering at The NorthCap University. For queries, contact at vandanakhanna@ncuindia.edu
