Village Knowledge Centre (VKC)

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is the key enable and a vital component of the new knowledge based economy an information revolution. There is need to ensure that the benefit of the ICT percolate to all the different socio-economic strata and to the grass roost of the rural Bengal. With poor existing infrastructure in the rural areas, delivery of services of essential requirements becomes a difficult task.

Concept of VKC:
The village Knowledge Centre is a place to render distant services from a single window point to rural masses especially in remote areas of the state through modern Information and Communication Technology. The purpose of setting up of a VKC is to bring access to a range of services, content and information to people living in remote villages or areas which do not provide such access otherwise.

Objective:
The Village Knowledge Centers are expected to be a source of empowerment for villagers, and centres that will open up a new world that will increase the self-esteem of people in villages. The VKC programme is meant for reaching the benefits of the Information Technology directly to the communities at the grass root level for promoting single window delivery of need-based services relating to the life cycle needs of rural population, viz. rain water harvesting, nutritional information including primary processing of fruits and vegetables, rural sanitation, preventive and curative aspects of health and hygiene , skill development and linkage with market requirements and demands, capacity building among village based organizations and people or on any issue that the rural communities would desire. In other words the VKC will be able to

• Bridge the gap between the village and the rest of the world
• Expose local students to the best educational infrastructure
• Motivate farmers and address agricultural issues professionally
• Provide medical infrastructure to the village through telemedicine
• Create avenues for income generation for women through vocational training
• Empower youth and increase their productivity through enhanced livelihood possibilities
• Provide better employmentopportunity
• Provide online support of better marketing of rural produce.

The School of Vocational Studies, NSOU introduce an e-governance initiative to reach the un-reached, un-served and underserved areas more effectively by using the high-tech Information and Communication Technology (ICT) through the University’s partner Institutes(PIs) by setting up Village Knowledge Centre (VKC).

Presently, The students are getting the benefits of Village Knowledge Centre free of cost at the following study centres:

• Devi Vidiyaniketan, Plassey, Nadia.
• Nari Siksha Samity, Jhargram.
• Pranavananda Institute of Management & Technology, Diamond Harbour, 24 Parganas (S).
• Anjali Social Welfare Research Foundation, Panskura, Purba Medinipur.
• Joygopalpur Gram Vikash Kendra, Basanti

The University is also planning to introduce more VKCs in the remote areas for the benefit of its students.