• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal for expansion of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) by inducting three lakh cadets. 

• From just 20,000 cadets in 1948, the NCC will now have a sanctioned strength of 20 lakh cadets.

• This expansion is expected to cater to the increasing demand for the NCC from educational institutions throughout the country.

• With NCC being offered as an elective subject as per the National Education Policy 2020, the expansion will be a step towards meeting the aspirations of the youth towards playing a pivotal role as future leaders of the nation.

• Another highlight of the expansion plan involves the proposal for employment of ex-servicemen as NCC instructors, thus leveraging their skills and vast experience. This initiative will ensure quality training to the NCC cadets and would generate employment opportunities for the veterans.

National Cadet Corps

• The genesis of the corps can be traced to the period of the First World War, when the British created a ‘University Corps’ aimed at harnessing the youth of India to meet their ever-increasing requirement of manpower in the Armed Forces. ‘University Corps’ was created under the Indian Defence Act, 1917.

• In 1920, when the Indian Territorial Act was passed, the ‘University Corps’  was replaced by the ‘University Training Corps’ (UTC). 

• In 1942, the UTC was renamed as the ‘University Officers Training Corps’ (UOTC). 

• The need to create a youth organisation at national level to train young boys and girls to be better citizens and future leaders of our great country in all walks of life, including defence forces, was rightly realised by our leaders.

• National Cadet Corps (NCC) was established under the NCC Act, 1948. It is a tri-service organisation comprising the Army, Naval and Air wings.

• According to the government, NCC is the largest uniformed youth organisation in the world.

• The NCC strives to provide the youth of the country opportunities for all round development with a sense of commitment, dedication, self-discipline and moral values, so that they become responsible citizens of tomorrow.

• The motto of NCC is “Unity and Discipline”.

• It has been engaged in conducting various social service and community development activities. The cadets have been contributing to the national cause during natural calamities like floods, cyclones, etc since its inception.

• The defence ministry has taken several steps to encourage the students at high school and college level to join NCC and work in a devoted manner for the betterment of the country. 

• Cadets are given basic military and weapons training by serving officers of the armed forces. Their proficiency and dexterity is periodically tested, only after which, they are awarded the certificates.

• The ‘A’ certificate is awarded on passing the first level and ‘B’ certificate is awarded on passing the second level. Only those cadets who have a ‘B’ certificate are eligible to get the ‘C’ certificate, the highest certificate given to NCC cadets, after passing tough training and examination.

• The government has sanctioned an increase in NCC cadet strength to 15 lakh. Currently, the total strength of cadets is around 14 lakh. 

• Directorate General NCC in New Delhi is the headquarters and it is headed by the Director General (DG), an Army officer of the rank of Lieutenant General. 

• There are 17 Directorates, in which each state or group of states forms a Directorate.

• The Directorates are divided into Groups, which varies according to the size of the state. The Groups are further divided into Battalions.

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