President Presents MY Bharat-National Service Scheme Awards 2022-23 to Volunteers & Units
SDG 4: Quality Education | SDG 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities
Institutions: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced that President Droupadi Murmu conferred the MY Bharat-NSS Awards (2022–23) at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 6 October 2025. The awards recognise voluntary service by 10 NSS units + their programme officers and 30 individual NSS volunteers, rewarding each with monetary grants, trophies, medals, and certificates.
The scheme allocates ₹ 2,00,000 per NSS unit and ₹ 1,50,000 to each Programme Officer; volunteers receive ₹ 1,00,000 each. NSS is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 1969 to foster community service, social awareness, youth leadership, environmental protection, education, health, and disaster relief.
The awards signal prioritisation of volunteerism, civic engagement, and youth leadership in nation-building. They also encourage continued community service, helping integrate NSS more visibly into local development frameworks and enhancing the stature of public service among young citizens.
What is the National Service Scheme (NSS)? → The National Service Scheme (NSS) is a Central Sector Programme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, launched in 1969 to mark the birth centenary of Mahatma Gandhi. It seeks to involve students of colleges, universities, and senior secondary schools in community service, bridging classroom learning with social responsibility.
Each NSS volunteer typically contributes at least 120 hours of service annually, participating in activities such as literacy drives, health awareness, disaster relief, environmental campaigns, blood donation, and rural development projects. The scheme’s motto, “Not Me But You,” embodies its core value of selfless service and civic duty.
NSS currently operates through over 40,000 units across India, engaging 4 million+ volunteers, and functions as a grassroots channel for cultivating leadership, empathy, and nation-building values among youth.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can states and districts institutionalise recognition and support mechanisms to sustain high-impact NSS activities beyond annual awards?
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