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Mentors interact with students in helping them understand the dynamics of
participating in these services.
IGNITORS, a three-day program specifically catering to social issues like injustice,
poverty and deprivation, gender related issues, homelessness and other allied
matters, is held in the first weeks of the semester.
Students are expected to earn extra credits through participation in these extension
services. While enrolling in NSS, NCC, CSA, etc. is voluntary, taking part in
Joseph‘s Outreach Program is mandatory.
The various social service organizations (NSS, NCC, CSA) send senior student
members to classrooms to invite participation by providing information on the
procedure to obtain membership and the roles that they are expected to play.
Orientation programs are held independently by each organization for new members
at the beginning of the semester.
CSA conducts two orientation meetings at the beginning of the semester to sensitize
new members on social issues and the roles that they are expected to play in social
development. The CSA has organized several workshops outside College (in Vistar,
Nama Samudram, and Glorious Promised Land). Christmas time has been set aside
as outreach month for the association with regular visits to institutions for social
outreach by students on Fridays and weekends. The All-India fest, Exodus, is
conducted by the CSA each year and the activities are centered on socio-religious
themes. The CSA also organized Make A Difference Day, which encourages
students to work in partnership with deprived members of the community (children
in orphanages and the Home of Hope for the destitute).
NSS conducts orientation meetings, and divides new members into sub-groups that
are provided themes upon which they create and undertake activities through the
year. It conducts several day visits to social service institutions in the city (such as
orphanages and old age homes) based upon individual group themes. Regular
meetings of students are held in College to provide information on upcoming visits,
and to review the experiences and learning facilitated by prior visits. Student input
is incorporated significantly into the design and development of further programs.
Social awareness programs are conducted and issues are often raised in public
spaces regarding the importance of voting and fight against atrocities on Dalits.
Blood donation camps are conducted. The annual Human Rights celebration
involves inviting children from nearby slums to include them in day long programs.
Rallies are organized to highlight social issues in the city. In addition, the NSS has
collected and distributed relief funds and material for the victims affected by the
devastation following the natural disasters that struck Nepal and Chennai in the past
two years.
The NCC conducts a best practice rigorous selection procedure that would enable
students to understand the system followed in the army admission. This includes a
picture perception test, a group discussion based upon the picture perception test, a
general knowledge test, and a series of special interviews conducted by senior and
junior under officers, the quartermaster, and cadets who have attended Republic
Day parades, All India Thal Sainik camps, or have represented India in Youth
Exchange Programs. The NCC, under the aegis of the Director General of the
National Cadet Corps, conducts several social service programs that include
participation in the Swachh Bharath drive by working with BBMP Pourakarmikas
to clean up a neighborhood, a rally on anti-tobacco day, activities relating to women
empowerment, a street play to raise awareness regarding drug abuse, blood donation
camps, working with the Department of Psychology on anti-suicide activities,
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