Modi's Swachh Bharat: College students newest recruits to keep campus clean

After roping in politicians and Bollywood celebrities, the government is pitching the Swachh Bharat Campaign to college students in exchange of 10 marks at the end of the year.

According to a report in Mumbai Mirror,  Maharashtra government has issued a notification to 272 colleges in the state asking them to give 120 hours to clean their colleges.

The circulars were sent by National Serving Scheme (NSS) — a Maharashtra government body constituted specially to focus on the development of personality of students through community service.

To make the deal more lucrative, NSS said students participating in the campaign will be awarded 10 marks each at the end of the year. Meanwhile, NSS also directed colleges to take disciplinary action against those who were found littering the campus.

“Students found littering the campus should be made to hold posters in the canteen to spread awareness, or be made to attend each and every class for a month,” a senior NSS official told Mumbai Mirror.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaigns - Clean India and Make in India - are being pitched to the youth in a big way. Recently during an event, Maharashtra governor Vidyasagar Rao told the youth to think “out of the box” and take forward the Prime Minister’s Make in India campaign to make the country a “manufacturing hub.”

Toeing the line of PM’s sanitation mission, University Grants Commission (UGC) had also instructed colleges in Lucknow to spread awareness on the clean India mission. Earlier in October, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University decided to open a ‘Gomti gallery.’

“We will take suggestions from students on ways to keep the river clean,’’ R C Sobti, BBAU vice-chancellor told The Times of India.

Students in Maharashtra colleges welcomed the NSS directive and said that the move will help bring in a sense of responsibility among those who don’t care to keep their surroundings clean. A student of Mithibai College said that the “10 mark” incentive is an added advantage. Fear of disciplinary action would also keep the errant students in line.

Although not all students feel the same way. A few said that matters of hygiene and cleanliness come from within.

“Modi’s initiative has definitely had an impact, but a sense of cleanliness and hygiene has to come from within,” Samit Desai, a second year BMS student from HR College told Mumbai Mirror.

According to a report in The Times of India, teaching and non-teaching staff and students of Lucknow University earlier in October decided to devote two hours every week to keep the campus clean.

Whether these college students trump the politicians and celebrities in keeping their surroundings clean is yet to be seen!