What social service is—Man is a social being. He cannot live alone. He requires the help of other men. If a man does some good service to society or to a particular individual or individuals, he does social service. A man falls ill. He has nobody to look after him. If you nurse him during his illness, you render social service to that person. Epidemics break out in a village or in your locality. You with your friends form a group and nurse the patients. You may go and advise every family how it should take precaution to be free from the attack of epidemic diseases. In that case you are doing social service.
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Scope of students for social service—Now-a-days elderly men of a family have to struggle hard to maintain their family. They can hardly make time to think of others. In this respect students have greater scope to render social service. Besides studies, they have ample time for games, sports and amusements. They can better utilize a portion of their leisure in rendering some useful service to society. They can do it individually or in groups.
Different ways of social service—Students can render social service in many ways. In India most of the people are illiterate. For the uplift of the country it is essential to teach them at least the three R’s i.e. elementary knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic. During their leisure hours students in groups can take upon themselves the task of teaching illiterate people the three R’s. Small night schools may be set up in their locality for this purpose. If they earnestly do it, illiteracy may be removed. It will be doing great service to society, because illiteracy is a great obstacle in the way of improvement of society. Ignorant people do not know the laws of health and sanitation. As a result they fall victims to many diseases. If the students can teach them how to observe the laws of health and sanitation they may be free from the attack of these diseases. They will then learn to live in a better way. It is a great social service for the uplift of the country.
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Besides these, there are other fields to render social service. A famine breaks out or a flood or earthquake devastates a part of the country. It is then the duty of all, specially the students,, to help the distressed people. Relief organizations are formed to help them. Students should be volunteers of these organizations. They will collect subscriptions, clothes, food, medicines and building materials. They will go to the spot and help the suffering people with all these things. A helpless person dies. Students may cremate the dead body. This is social service.
Sometimes there are big social, religious, political or other gatherings. People assemble there in large numbers. Students can render useful social service by helping these people in various ways. During long vacations students may go to villages and do many constructive works themselves, such as making roads, re-digging neglected ponds, clearing jungle, building school house, etc. with the help of the villagers.
Conclusion—Students are a great source of strength to the country. They have ideals, energy and power to work. If they are rightly guided, they can really render very valuable service to society. There must be selfless leaders to make right use of them. Under proper guidance and noble inspiration they can work wonders.