Within the IIT Bombay campus, we are faced with imbalance of a different kind, intellectual imbalance. On one side we have the best minds in the country doing world class research, while on the other hand we have children struggling to pass class six. There are youth on the campus who have dropped out of school and are falling an easy prey to every addiction in sight. However, from a broader perspective, the campus life is just a fractal representation of the life in rest of India. It is imperative that the IIT community is made aware about these ills, and the need to find solutions

To address the above issue, an MOU was signed on 14th January 2002 between VIDYA Integrated Development for Youth and Adults and IIT Bombay under the auspices of the Human Values Cell. Many programs have been initiated under this MOU over the past two years to educate and empower the disadvantaged residents of our campus.

Remedial classes are held in the Main Building everyday from 5.15 to 6.15 PM. Children from classes fifth to ninth are given free coaching in English, Math and Science. The NSS volunteers are actively participating in teaching in these classes. The children have not only improved academically; they have significantly improved their self-esteem as well.

NSS Sanganak Vidya Kendra (NSVK) is another effort to empower the underprivileged, through computer literacy. This environment-friendly project was helpful to the departments of IIT Bombay as well. They were able to donate their unused computers and unwanted furniture, which were an eyesore in many a corridor, to NSVK. These computers and furniture have been instrumental in educating more than 250 students so far.

Teaching at NSVK is done by staff, NSS volunteers and other IIT students. Many IIT students have enthusiastically helped us in starting new courses, designed the evaluations, assignments, etc.. Needless to say that the beneficiaries have been flattered and delighted at being taught by the 'IIT students'. The experience for many of the student volunteers has also been profound as the love and respect received can be wonderful

Apart from the two activities mentioned above, VIDYA and NSS are engaged in many other activities such as classes to help school drop-outs to complete their tenth standard through National Institute of Open Schooling, adult spoken English classes, skill training and income generation for women, counseling alcoholics and others.