Punjab Newspaper

The Carter Academic-Service Entrepreneur (CASE) Grant competition in India for student community service that contributes to learning has been completed at Panjab University, Chandigarh in January 2009. The Carter Academic Service Entrepreneur (CASE) grant program is sponsored by the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Foundation in the United States. It is the first and only such program named for a former US President and Nobel Prize winner, President Jimmy Carter. In the program, students write proposals for innovative ways to serve the community using what they are learning in the classroom. The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Foundation provides awards and grants to students for the most innovative new ideas in community development, linked to the students’ academic programs.


The Foundation encourages community service projects and programs of students in educational institutions by highlighting exemplary, press-worthy accomplishments to encourage other students to emulate community-building projects and develop social responsibility.
“The students are breaking new ground in India by applying what they learn to make a difference in the lives of communities near their University,” said Dr. Surishtha Sehgal, President of the Foundation. “Both will benefit – the children and villagers /slum dwellers who receive the service and the students who perform the service,” she said. This campus-specific program is an outgrowth of the India-wide initiative to unite academics and community service begun by Coca Cola India in 2006 with sponsorship of the first Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Award for Campus-Community Collaboration. Panjab University was one of the finalists for that award and the award consists of a draft worth US $ 3,000 and JRCPF Certificate, and since then has continued to nurture the philosophy of academic community service that is inspired by Coca Cola India’s philanthropy throughout India.
For the CASE program, MOU was signed between Panjab University and Jimmy and Rosalynn Crater Foundation for a period of three years commencing from August 2007 to 2010. Out of four projects proposals submitted on behalf of the Panjab University, three projects have been selected as qualified for CASE AWARD including:
“Bachpan: The Foundation of an Individual’s Personality,” is an early childhood education program for children below 5 years of age from low-socio-economic families where students of Social Work will use the Activity Based Learning (ABL) to enhance the developmental abilities and self regulatory behavior of children in the villages Dhanas and Dadu Majra. During the activities the main focus will be on “children being made ready for school rather than the school being made ready for the children”.
“Conserving the Traditional Water Resources: A Lifeline for the Remote Villages of Morini Hills” is a water resource conservation project in which Panjab students will rejuvenate Bavadis, construct walls, plant trees and fast growing grass and other measures to provide safe drinking water in the mountainside village of Morni (Bhoj jabial) especially in Koti and Kothi Panchyat.
“Waste Newspapers: A Source of Sustenance for Slum Children” will combine newspaper recycling and training for enacting plays and theatre activities that raise awareness against drug use, environmental problems, skipping school and other social causes.
All of these projects are described in more detail on www.ServiceBook.org.
In a letter to Prof. R.C. Sobti, Vice-Chancellor Panjab University, Dr. Surishtha Sehgal, President and Founder, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Foundation wrote “you should be justly proud to be in a leadership position associated with the fine work of students, Panjab University who have been declared as AWARD winner.” On behalf of President Jimmy Carter and the foundation, Dr. Sehgal thanked Prof. R. C. Sobti, and Prof. M.K.Teja, Coordinator, CASE, Panjab University for their diligent and enterprising work with community service-minded students at an engaged university.
“This CASE competition shows once again that when students are invited to design their own service learning experience, they come up with innovative and valuable contributions to our society as social entrepreneurs,” said Dr. Sehgal. The students and the faculty advisors will be honored with the “Merit Certificates” signed by President Jimmy Carter and Mrs. Carter. In addition to the certificates Rs. 20,000/- will be given as award money for each proposal to implement the same.