Centre Moves to Expand NCC to 20 Lakh Cadets, Strengthening Its Role in Development and Security
On NCC's 78th Raising Day, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh emphasizes youth potential as the corps readies for its next phase of growth
NCC’s Expansion Vision: Wider Reach, Tech-Driven Training, and Stronger National Involvement
The government announced a significant expansion plan for the NCC, increasing its existing strength from 17 lakh cadets to almost 20 lakh, while its involvement in national development and security-related projects will also be increased. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh made the announcement at the National War Memorial in New Delhi while celebrating the 78th Raising Day of the NCC. He said that India’s youthfulness – the average age is 28 years – constitutes a huge national potential, and the NCC serves as one important institution to groom this energy.
Singh added that the planned increase in cadet numbers would enable the NCC to contribute with greater effectiveness to community work, disaster response efforts, and broader nation-building activities. He underlined the point that an expanded organisation’s footprint would see more young people become active participants in civic and security-oriented programs.
NCC DG Lt Gen Virendra Vats said that the corps currently covers more than 700 districts, which is approximately 90 per cent of the country. He also added that girls constitute almost 40 per cent of the total cadet strength. Reflecting on the journey of the NCC since its inception in 1948 with just 20,000 cadets, Vats described this growth as a testament to its growing importance.
Further, he said the NCC is now integrating modern training areas such as cyber awareness and anti-drone strategies so as to prepare the cadets to deal with emerging challenges in technology and security more efficiently.
