NCC Raising day

NCC or the National Cadet Corps is the youth wing of the Indian army. By sheer strength, it is the largest uniformed youth brigade in the world. Its importance can be judged by the fact that many serving Indian army personnel belong to NCC. More than that, it is the discipline and mindset that set these young people apart from their counterparts.

NCC women cadets salute ; Image Source: asianetnews

The NCC or National Cadet Corps was set up in 1950 as a youth wing of the Indian army. It represents the tri-services as evident from the color of its insignia or emblem. There is a bit of romanticism attached to being a part of NCC. These young people want to serve and make their contribution to the society. NCC brings that out in the youth. It’s a voluntary organization and everyone is put through the same drill. It is a pluralistic and secular organization, much like the Indian army.

The University Corps was established under the Indian Defense Act 1917, which later became the University Training Corps and then the University Officers Training Corps. 15th July, 1948 was the day when NCC was officially established. A girls division was established in 1949 for college going women. By 1952, both the naval and air force wings were added to the fray. They were particularly useful during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 & Bangladesh-Pakistani war of 1971, helping with rescue efforts, supplying weapons and ammunitions, and assisting ordnance factories. Even though not all of these young people were inducted in the Indian army, they are all proud of their allegiance to the NCC.

“Unity and discipline” is the motto of the NCC. It exemplifies the mindset of the youths who volunteer to this organization. These are outstanding citizens of an outstanding country who are ready to serve and protect in whatever way possible. A three-star director general (DG) heads the organization and he is assisted by two two-star officers. Headquartered in New Delhi, NCC has 17 directorates across the country. These directorates head up to 14 groups and each of these groups control 5 to 7 battalions across the country. There is 3 specialized corps in the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, which are independent of the state directorate. Overall, there are 96 group headquarters across the country that controls more than 750 army, naval and air force units. Each of these battalions has strength of around 1200 young men and women.

All cadets have to undergo 3 years of training for up to 4 hours every week. All men and women are put through the same drills and training.

The NCC raising day is celebrated every year on the fourth Sunday of November, usually with marches and parades by the young cadets. Blood donation camps, cultural programs and performances are organized across the country. During previous years, NCC cadets have also served during the COVID pandemic outbreak. These young men and women have also made contribution to various government schemes like ‘Ek Bharat Shresht Bharat’, ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Fit India’, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi had initiated an expansion of NCC in the border and coastal regions in August 15, 2020.

A grand ceremony marking the NCC alumni association was held in Jhansi on 2021. Mr. Narendra Modi and Mr. Rajnath Singh were the first members of this association. It aims to bring together all ex-cadets and uniformed personnel for societal and community development efforts. There are numerous activities arranged by the NCC, including naval activities, air force activities, youth exchange camps, and foreign trips for the best performing cadets.

The ultimate goal of NCC is to inspire and train the youth of our country to becoming responsible citizens and make positive contribution to the society. It is safe to say that the future becomes brighter with young people who want to serve the country and the countrymen of this grateful country.