The 'National Service Scheme' was started in the year :

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:

The National Service Scheme (NSS) was officially launched by the Government of India on **September 24, 1969**, during the birth centenary year of Mahatma Gandhi. This timing was deliberate, as the scheme was conceived with the primary objective of instilling Gandhian ideals of selfless community service among university and college students. The NSS operates under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and functions on the powerful motto, "Not Me But You," emphasizing a democratic way of life, selfless service, appreciation for other people, and the dignity of manual labor. The genesis of the scheme can be traced back to the recommendations of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), which endorsed the idea of introducing a period of compulsory national service for students to bridge the gap between educated youth and the socio-economic realities of rural India. Thus, 1969 marks the foundational year when this crucial program began its journey to develop the personality and character of students through direct engagement with the community.

The incorrect option is 2:

The year 1979 is incorrect because by this point, the National Service Scheme had already been operational and well-established for a full decade. The initial launch and implementation phases, including the expansion to multiple universities and the successful organization of initial camping programs, had long been completed. While government schemes like the NSS continuously evolve and receive revised guidelines or expanded budgets, the year 1979 simply falls within the regular, ongoing operational period of the scheme. It does not correspond to the critical date of its formal inception or its establishment as a national program.

The incorrect option is 3:

The year 1981 is significantly too late to be the starting year for the National Service Scheme. If the scheme had started in 1981, it would have missed the initial phase of the government's major push for youth involvement in national building that characterized the late 1960s and early 1970s. By 1981, the NSS had already become a nationwide movement, having successfully mobilized thousands of volunteers for community development activities, special camps, and disaster relief work across various states. Therefore, one must understand that 1981 represents a mature phase of the scheme's implementation, not its beginning.

The incorrect option is 4:

The year 1990 is chronologically very far from the actual launch of the NSS, making this option definitively incorrect. Students should recognize that a program of this magnitude, which is directly linked to the country's higher education system and the philosophical influence of Mahatma Gandhi, has a much deeper history. By 1990, the NSS had already completed over two decades of dedicated service, becoming an indispensable part of India's non-formal education sector. New policy changes and further institutionalization may have occurred in the 1990s, but the fundamental structure and operation of the scheme were firmly rooted in its 1969 origins.