About The Programme

• Creation of trained and certified community volunteer leaders in every village/neighbourhood to act as a bridge between the society and the government for taking the government programmes to the people and enlist the peoples’ support and participation in development agenda and develop the village in to smart villages on a long term basis .
  
  Concept of the Programme
  
  In every society, we find people with attitude for social work. Their reward comes from the satisfaction they drive when they do something good to fellow neighbours or to the society. Their energies are either unutilized or channelized to opportunities for their expression. If we provide adequate opportunities and trainings; and a mechanism for recognition of their work; they will act as a catalyst for growth and development. They will be the agents of social change which needs to come from within. We need to identify such people from different walks of life, offer them various opportunities for them to learn and apply their knowledge into the field, preferably a village or a Gram Panchayat area of their choice wherein they can experiment the ideas they learnt. While they learn and earn their degrees, diploma certificate etc .the area will get substantially benefited from their field work. They will get due recognition from the community as a Community Leader working at grass root level for making the development a people's agenda. The certificate diploma and degree being provided under this programme act as recognition of their social service to the community and motivate them to continue their service. This will be effective intervention for ensuring behavioural change in the people, their active involvement and participation in welfare programmes and demand generation for the public services.
  
  Implementation of the Programme in MP
  
  The chapter on “Inclusive Growth” in MP vision-2018 documents talks about Development social and political leadership through training and exposure to empower disadvantaged groups to wield effective power. To translate this vision into a reality, a long term Capacity Development Programme consisting of 15 module has been developed-eight module based on development agenda of the state Government as implemented through its sect oral department mainly on issue relating to health, Nutrition, Education, Women Empowerment, Livelihood promotion, Panchayat Raj Agriculture, Rural Technology and Environment Education. Another seven module based on the skills required for development functionaries of these sect oral department for effectively working with communities on issue like perspectives on development, leadership skill, Communication skill, Community mobilization skill, legal literacy and digital literacy.
  
  Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Rural University has recognized this capacity development programme for the purpose of awarding certificate, diploma and Graduate degree (BSW-community leadership) on a distance education model. The candidates are free to start with any five modules and finish the course within a period of five years as per their convenience with flexibility for entry and exit options. The university is responsible for admission of candidate into the programme conducting examinations and certification. The Practical training which consist 50% weightage in the final evaluations is organized by sectoral department who enter into separate MOU with the university. Training is organized by sectoral department for its frontline workers and community volunteers who are enrolled into this programme. The classes are held on Sundays. The Higher Secondary School buildings are used for conduction classes on Sundays. They are recognized as a Study Centers for the Distance Learning Programme of the Chitrakoot University.
  
  People who are between 18 and 45 years age group with demonstrated aptitude for social work and who have passed 12th class are selected by inviting application for the programme. After enrolment each candidate has to select one village which he will use as his lab for practical work and submit 10 monthly assignments and one project work qualifying in practical training which constitutes 50% weightage in final evaluations. The candidate has to appear for yearend examination in five modules conducted by the Chitrakoot University for qualifying theory which constitutes another 50% weightage in final evaluations. The candidate has to secure minimum 33% separately in both theory and practical to be able to pass. 
  
  The practical training is the heart and soul of this programme which distinguishes it from similar courses run by another Universities. It is only when the candidate from this programme attempt to solve the problem of the people by enabling them to access various schemes and welfare legislation, they get due recognitions as community leaders within the community they serve. The development goals when looked from a macro level appear stupendous task but when split into the level of a village they seem achievable in a short period-be it literacy, sanitation to nutrition or any other development indicator where we cannot progress an inch unless there is participation from the community. The sectoral department have identified and trained one mentor, preferably a post graduate with a minimum of 10 year work experience in the development sector, for each group of 5 to 6 candidate to guide them in their course work, assignments and project work. The mentors are trained by the Chitrakoot University for 10 days initially with the provision for a mid-course training of 2 to 3 days. The classes are held in higher secondary schools with virtual class room facility. The University Faculty and guest faculty also interacts with the students from time to time through virtual class. The SC and ST students are exempted from all fees and also reimbursed a part of their travel and food while general category students bear their own expenditure and the fees involved in the course. There is 50% reservation of the seat for women.