As I thought about penning this article when I realized how little people knew and understood about the National Cadet Corps (NCC). At almost every function I attended or every interaction I had, same questions invariably popped up -‘Oh, NCC! Is it part of the Army? What do you do? How do children benefit from joining it? How are you organized? Do the children contribute funds for training?’ and many more…. I found these questions simple but nonetheless compelling and genuine. And I think they definitely merit answers! So here is a brief run-down on the NCC – a unique voluntary and uniformed organisation, dedicated to the youth of our Nation.
Evolution & Organisation:
Our lineage goes back to 1917, when the British raised a University Corps under the Indian Defence Act to tide over wartime shortages of manpower. It was only in 1948 that the National Cadet Corps Act gave us our present shape and a very different charter—not as a “feeder line” for the Armed Forces, but a “second line of defence.” The charter subsequently evolved over the years; it now has an overarching aim of moulding the youth into dedicated and disciplined leaders, who can contribute in all facets of Nation Building. It is not surprising that NCC which made a humble beginning with about 20,000 cadets, steadily grew to 17 lakh in 2025, and is now slated to increase to 20 lakh cadets by 2028. This progressive increase in footprint and numbers, is a testimony to and acknowledgement of NCC’s enduring relevance, reach and contemporary utility, to shape the youth of modern India.
Who are the Cadets?
All the children whom you see in Khaki, Blue or White uniforms, marching smartly and conducting themselves with confidence are the Cadets. The younger ones, who are students of Class 8th and 9thcomprise the Junior Division and the College under-graduates comprise the Senior Division. Sustained efforts have resulted in shoring the proportion of girls to more than 40% with a continuing endeavour to ensure equitable representation by 2028. The Cadets once enrolled, through their colleges or schools, do not have to contribute anything – except their time! Their training, uniform, refreshments, meals, travelling etc are catered for by the Centre and the respective State Governments.
What are the Five Qualities We Imbibe?
Whenever somebody asks me what does NCC do? I desist from reciting the syllabus verbatim or delivering a lengthy monologue on the activities we conduct; I instead name five core qualities which NCC actually endeavours to build and develop in young Cadets–all with an eye on Nation Building and Personal Development. Discipline comes first – the ability to follow rules & instructions, manage time and hold a standard even when no one is watching is the most important facet we focus on. National integration follows closely behind – we deliberately blend cadets from different states, languages and faiths, to ensure that idea of ‘Unity in Diversity’ is not an abstract notion, but an enduring faith. Camaraderie grows naturally out of integration – the bonds a cadet forms during training and while participating in Camps, more often then not, outlasts school and college friendships. Adventure -the adrenaline rush during trekking, sailing, mountaineering, gliding, scuba diving and more, gives cadets a taste of risk, resilience and mental toughness, which ordinary classrooms never can, and never will! And last but not the least, Leadership, a quality taught, nurtured and built quietly through camp responsibilities, team work, problem solving, small acts of authority, inculcating values and ethics is perhaps the most intangible but also the most significant facet of NCC. Cadets learn to lead a section of peers in training, long before they are ever asked to lead a Team in a Boardroom or a Battlefield!
What also often goes unnoticed is that NCC has always been imparting invaluable soft skills to cadets in a structured manner; no school or college has the time or inclination to do this! Teamwork, resilience, decision making, inter-personal relations, adaptability and communication, all are offshoots of the Qualities we develop; and these have assumed an increasingly important dimension in the professional and personal lives of the youth today.
These endeavours of NCC have flourished under the umbrella of – ‘Unity and Discipline’-two simple but powerful words we adopted as our Motto in 1980. The motto is deceptively simple, but extremely powerful. “Unity and Discipline” are the core pillars on which the edifice of Nation Building stands!
How do we Train?
Cadets are exposed to various facets of training to achieve the objectives of NCC. Some of the activities encompass – military proficiency training including firing, drill, basic military subjects, physical fitness and specialised training on air and naval aspects and equipment. Cadets are guided through a series of immersive residential training Camps to experience a regimented lifestyle, develop leadership qualities, understand importance of teamwork and appreciate National integration. The cadets also participate in a bouquet of challenging adventure activities like para jumping, para sailing, mountaineering, trekking, rock climbing, sailing, scuba diving etc which helps cultivate mental toughness and risk-taking ability. As part of larger societal good, the cadets formally participate in civic and community responsibilities, where they actively lead social development initiatives and environmental campaigns. They are additionally trained to administer first aid and provide immediate basic response during any natural disaster. To keep pace with the changing times and rapidly evolving technology, NCC is endeavouring to widen the horizon of cadets by also exposing them to contemporary subjects like Cyber Defence, Drone Flying and AI.
How Does the Nation Benefit?
NCC is not only an organisation but a movement; its contribution cannot be boxed or quantified. NCC uniquely encompasses and transcends, all facets of individual growth and societal good, while concurrently working towards a bigger and a much nobler objective of Nation Building. To understand this, one must appreciate that a cadet is a representative of his family, institution and society; therefore he has a vast sphere of influence – he impacts at least 5 members of his immediate family, minimum 10 of his colleagues in class and 50 in the society, amongst others. What he learns and imbibes, multiplies manifold as he interacts with the society at large; imagine the impact 20 lakh cadets spread across India have, in such an eco-system. Therefore, when the spirit of discipline, selflessness, patriotism and nation-building percolates in the society, it becomes a movement towards ‘Nation Building’. And this is what NCC primarily strives for. Equally importantly, NCC creates a large standing reserve of disciplined, physically capable and motivated youth, who at any point of time are ready to step up and take on any task, responsibility or challenge when called for -it could be during military operations, natural calamities or quietly conducting civic and community activities in the background.
Once a Cadet, always a Cadet?
For a Cadet individually, the returns are immeasurable. A teenager who joins the NCC in his formative years, leaves with a sense of discipline which lasts a life time; a taste of genuine adventure which most childhoods never offer; a lesson in ethical leadership, applicable to a boardroom, battlefield or personal life much after he has left NCC; a spirit of camaraderie to cherish and above all, love for the Nation! A cadet leaves as a leader empowered, disciplined and much more confident than his peers. Qualifications earned in NCC may entitle him to certain defining waivers for a career in the defence forces and a decisive preference in other career options, however, being a NCC Cadet is the biggest badge of honour. Once a NCC Cadet – always a NCC Cadet, they say! It is therefore not surprising that ex-NCC cadets, now in high positions of power and importance, have personally walked over to me and conveyed their gratitude to NCC, in not only shaping their personal and professional attributes, but contributing in their success in life!
The View from Gujarat:
Carved out from 1 Circle Cadet Corps, Bombay in 1960, NCC Gujarat as come a long way since inception. Over the years it has blossomed into a youth-powerhouse, comprising of 85,000 cadets enrolled from over 1150 educational institutions, with representation from each and every of the 37 districts of Gujarat and UT of Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu. Increase in the ratio of girls to almost 42% and enthusiastic participation and enrolment of Cadets from the remotest border & coastal regions, have been the stand-out developments in the recent past. The performance of the Cadets has been sterling, and numbers speak for themselves; Over the last 3 years, 35 cadets have got selected as Officers and more than 250 have joined as Agniveers in the Defence Forces, while close to 1,000 Cadets joined the Gujarat Police, in the last two recruitment cycles; a large number of cadets concurrently found gainful opportunities with reputed public & private organizations. In addition, 24 of our cadets proudly represented Gujarat in countries like UK, Russia, Singapore, Vietnam, Kyrgyz Republic, Mauritius, Maldives, etc, as part of Youth Exchange Programme and many more were feted for their individual performance and brilliance during National Level Sporting Competitions, Expeditions, and Camps like the Republic Day Parade at Delhi and Ekta Diwas Celebrations at Ekta Nagar.
Readiness of over 7500 cadets during Op Sindoor, 3000 cadets for Disaster Relief (Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme), their selfless participation in community programmes like Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam and 5 Million Tree Mission, Swachta Abhiyaan including cleaning of Sabarmati River, National TB Elimination Program, Blood Donation Camps, awareness against Digital Frauds, Drug Abuse etc have all contributed immensely in the implementation of national social initiatives at grass-root level.
We have recently presented an ‘Action Plan’ to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, to harness NCC’s vast potential, large numbers, wide presence and attributes of discipline and leadership – towards the preparation and successful conduct of the Commonwealth Games 2030, Ahmedabad.
In Closing..
Seventy-eight years on, NCC remains one of India’s most quietly-impactful institutions – vast in spread, large in numbers, diverse in character, national in spirit and effective in implementation. Gujarat’s own chapter has deeply woven itself across the historic salt shores of Dandi, white desert of Bhuj and right into the high-tech cyber corridors of Gandhinagar. As we move forward, my message to India’s parents and youth remains simple: every moment spent in the NCC is pure gold. It costs absolutely nothing, yet it instills lifelong values which define your character and strengthens our beloved Nation.
