An old Chinese proverb reads : For your country/If you plan for a year sow paddy/If you plan for a decade plant trees/If you plan for the future, nurture youth. This is where the National Cadet Corps (NCC) proves its significance. NCC inculcates in the youth a sense of nationalism and secular outlook that contributes towards the building of the nation. It also provides a platform for individual upliftment through the process of channelising the energy of the youth in constructive pursuits. Besides giving thrill and excitement, NCC promotes camaraderie and resilience and hones cultural skills to preserve the cultural traditions and values of the society. It helps the youth to realise the intimate relationship between man and the community, between community and nature and their inter-dependability.

NCC was conceived in 1917 when India Defence Act was promulgated with an object of making up the deficiencies in the Armed Forces by raising the University Corps. In 1920, with the passage of India Territorial Act, University Corps was replaced by University Training Corps. In 1942, this Corps was rechristened University Officers Training Corps. In 1946, a committee under Pandit H N Kunzru was set up at the behest of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to formulate the establishment of an organisation capable of training and motivating the youth of the country to become better citizens and leaders in all walks of life. Consequently, the National Cadet Corps came into being on July 16, 1948 with the promulgation of the NCC Act XXXI of 1948. NCC was placed under the Ministry of Defence.

Overall supervision and policy formation for the functioning of this organisation rests with the Central Advisory Committee. The Minister of State for Defence is the Chairman of this committee. Constitution of the committee is as under :

(a) Minister of State for Defence - Chairman.

(b) Defence Secretary - Ex officio member.

(c) Education Secretary - Ex officio member.

(d) Three Service Chiefs - Ex officio members.

(e) Financial Adviser Defence Services - Ex officio member.

(f) Two members of Lok Sabha - nominated members.

(g) One member from Rajya Sabha - nominated member.

(h) Five non - official members nominated by the Central Government.

NCC is administered through the Ministry of Defence. The Defence Secretary, Ministry of Defence is responsible to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of this organisation at the Ministry level. In the year 2000, the Central Advisory Committee modified the aims of NCC which read :

- To develop qualities of character, courage, comradeship, discipline, secular outlook, spirit of adventure, sportsmanship and the ideals of selfless service among the youth to make them useful citizens.

- To create a human resource of organised, trained and motivated youth, to provide leadership in all walks of life including the Armed Forces and always make them available for the service of the nation.

- To create a suitable environment to motivate the youth to take up a career in the Armed Forces.

NCC is a voluntary organisation for students of the schools and colleges. School students of the age of above 13 years can join as junior cadets and students from class XI and above, can join this organisation as senior cadets. This organisation from its humble beginning of 32500 senior cadets and 135000 junior cadets, has grown to above eleven lakhs cadets with 4.33 lakh senior cadets and 7.3 lakh junior cadets. While these figures seem big, they cover only a meagre 3.8 per cent student population of the country. The executive network of 745 units spreads from Leh in the Himalayas to the Nicobar Islands in the south and from the Rann of Kutch in the west to Kohima in the east. Presently, NCC coverage is provided to 4560 colleges and 7040 schools. Over 1400 schools and colleges are in the waiting list to join NCC. It was given an inter-service image when the Air Wing and Naval Wing were added to this organisation in 1952 and 1956 respectively.

By 1960, demand for NCC had grown substantially. To meet this demand, an auxiliary corps was raised called National Cadet Corps Rifles. In 1963, NCC was made compulsory in all schools and colleges and the National Cadet Corps Rifles was merged with NCC. Considering the suggestions from the Vice-Chancellors of the universities, NCC was again made a voluntary organisation in 1968.

As already mentioned, the Ministry of Defence with the Defence Secretary being the overall in charge of the NCC controls this organisation. At the Headquarters level, this organisation is headed by an officer of the rank of Lieutenant General. He is the Director General of the NCC. Two other officers of the rank of Major General, five Brigadier level officers and other civil officials assist him. The Headquarters is located in Delhi. There are 16 Directorates located in the state capitals headed by an officer of the rank of a Brigadier from the three Services.

Depending upon the size of the state and growth of NCC in the states, Directorates have up to 14 Group Headquarters under them through which they exercise their command and control of the organisation in the state. Group Headquarters have battalions and companies under their command through which the organisation functions. There are 91 Group Headquarters, 546 Army Wing Units, 58 Naval Wing Units and 58 Air Wing Units spread over the length and breadth of the country. At the school and college level, there are troops and companies that are headed by the teacher of the institution who is selected and trained to head the sub-unit. This person is called the Associate NCC Officer. There are two training establishments namely Officers Training School, Kamptee and Women Officers Training School, Gwalior. These two institutions train the school and college teachers selected to head the company/troop. Courses in these institutions range from 21 days to 90 days in duration.

The Central Government covers the pay and allowances of the central government employees, NCC clothing, centralised camps, 50 per cent of the budget of all states camp and equipment for adventure activities like boats, gliders, horses etc. State governments finance the pay and allowances of the state employees, cadet’s refreshments and washing allowances, funds to train and pay the Associate NCC Officers and 50 per cent of the camp budget of state NCC camps. Personnel for the conduct of NCC activities include the service personnel, Associate NCC Officers and the civilian staff. Service personnel include officers, JCOs and NCOs. Officers formulate the policies and supervise their implementation. Associate NCC Officers, JCOs and NCOs are the implementing agencies.

A cadet can continue in NCC for two years as a junior cadet and three years as a senior cadet. Each year of training consists of 150 periods and 120 periods for junior and senior division cadets respectively. Institutional training consists of service subjects, social subjects and subjects related to adventure activities and subjects promoting national integration. During training years, cadets get opportunity to attend various types of NCC camps. At the end of two years training, the cadets can appear for the certificate examinations.

NCC plays a very dominant role in inculcating social ethos in the youth of the country. It undertakes various social service activities like aid to the administration in times of calamities, preservation of environment and ecology, blood donation campaigns, literacy programs and construction and cleanliness drives.

To be successful in life, one has to be bold to take calculated risk even at great discomfort. NCC develops these qualities in the youth by putting them through rigorous training including adventure activities. These activities develop special qualities of leadership, courage, comradeship and self-confidence. Adventure activities in the NCC include : mountaineering and trekking expeditions, rock climbing, para training and jumping camps, gliding, slithering, microlight flying, sailing, surfing, scuba diving, boat pulling etc.

The Central Advisory Committee in November 1996 decided to include games and sports in the curriculum of the cadets training to make NCC more attractive. Disciplines included in this activity are athletics, football and volleyball.

Youth Exchange Programmes between NCC of India and youth organisations of other countries are undertaken yearly. The Exchange Programme includes mutual visits up to 24 days in which cadets undertake billeting families, community work projects, educational activities etc. These projects develop mutual respect, adaptability, self-discipline, cross cultural learning and above all, love for one’s country. India has Youth Exchange Programme with Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Maldives, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and Vietnam.