Special Camping forms an integral part of National Service Scheme. It has special appeal to the youth as it provides unique opportunities to the students for group-living, collective experience sharing and constant interaction with community.

1. Special campaigns are organised generally on various developmental issues of national importance.
In the past the themes of the Special Camping Programmes have been 'Youth Against Famine', Youth Against Dirt and Disease ' , 'Youth for Rural Reconstruction ' , 'Youth for Eco-Development' and 'Youth for Mass Literacy', 'Youth for National integration & Social Harmony', The current theme of Special Camp is 'Youth for Sustainable Development with special focus on Watershed Management and Wasteland Development. Every year 50 percent of the volunteers of each NSS unit are expected to participate in special camps which is of ten-days duration.

2. Duration of the Camp
a) The NSS Camp will be of 10 days duration. The NSS volunteers are expected to be in the camp throughout the period, including on the inaugural day and depart from the camp only on closing day after valedictory function.

b) Camps beyond 10 days may be organised by the Institution, subject to the condition that no additional finance will be made available. The additional expenditure may be met by exercising economy in the camp expenditure. The camp may be extended by five days over and above the mandatory period of 10 days.

c) In case an important project has been undertaken and it remains incomplete and it is very essential to the community, the NSS units may plan to organise a second camp to complete the project.

3. Lodging Arrangements

a) The lodging arrangements of the camp should be made in a building of the village or Panchayat school.
b) No camp should be held in the premises of the college/school. The NSS volunteers must reside in the adopted area where the camp is being held.

4. Board Arrangements

a) Food in the camps should be simple but balanced. It should be at minimum cost and as far as possible, prepared out of locally available materials . Meals should be carefully planned with the assistance of such institutions and individuals having knowledge of food and nutrition as may be available in the State. The participants should also be explained about meal planning as an educational lesson, and its propagation among the local community should be an important extension activity of the campers for the village / slum.

5. Project Work -

The projects should be selected as per the guidelines, after identifying the needs of the village slum. No projects should be undertaken, which is irrelevant to the needs of the village / slum.

6. Involvement of the Community Every effort should be made to involve the local people in project work.

It must be explained that the work is for their benefit and therefore, they should contribute to it. If all the physical effort is done only by the students then the village population may feel that the students are doing it to get a degree or some such benefit. The object of the programme should, therefore, be to involve the village population actively in rural welfare programmes and make them see that, by their own coordinated efforts, they could live a better and richer life.

7. Camp Programme

a) It is very essential to prepare a suitable schedule for the camp, so that it helps to develop a sense of discipline and devotion among the campers. As the camp is an occasion for establishing rapport with the community, it should not be treated as a picnic or excursion.

b) No uniform schedule of activities can be suggested for a work camp due to considerable variety in the scope and content of the projects, the NSS units should ensure that various activities undertaken during the camp are so planned and organised that it ultimately leads to fulfillment of the objectives of holding a camp. In addition to some manual work, the camp should provide opportunity for community living, discussion in group and cultural activities etc. A good camp can adopt the following daily schedule of

Important activities :
i) Manual work for accomplishment of the project like construction of small village complex, sustainable development activities like laying  out gardens, tree plantation etc. or any other project depending on local needs and priorities. - 5 Hours

ii) Discussion on topics like freedom struggle, character-building, development of culture , family welfare , health and hygiene, national integration, eradication of social evils like casteism, regionalism, dowry, untouchability, alcoholism , corruption, gambling and superstitions; civil, social and national responsibilities of citizens, small savings, improved agricultural practices etc.- 2 Hours

iii) Cultural programmes/community singing in the evening. - 2 Hours

c) It is advisable that during the course of discussions on various topics and the cultural programmes - maximum number of villagers/residents (irrespective of their age) are provided an opportunity to benefit from such discussion and cultural programmes. If some of them are unable to participate in the manual work, but are interested in discussions and cultural programmes, this may be encouraged. Cultural programmes, may, as far as possible, be of educative value with social messages. Efforts should be made to get some documentary films on development issues screened for the benefit of the community.

d) It has been decided that as a part of the camp, the students should be taken to nearby projects with a rural development content like IRDP, NREP, ICDS, mid-day meals, adult literacy, village roads and sanitation, rural cooperative housing activity, dairying and animal husbandry, social forestry, soil and water conservation projects, and monuments, of historical importance, to educate them about the cultural heritage as well as economic and technological advancement of the country. It would be necessary to spend a day for this purpose by economising on the budget provided for Special Camping Programme and extending the duration of the camps by 1 or 2 days. Effective coordination has to be made with State Government and District Authorities to get all assistance in this regard.