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EVOLUTION OF NATIONAL CADET CORPS

    The National Cadet Corps (NCC), the premium youth organisation of the country, has completed eighty-two years of service to the nation since its inception in 1917 as University Corps. It was established in 1948 with its present name under an Act of Parliament. NCC has been providing developmental opportunities to the youth of our nation from all walks of life. The organisation has always endeavoured to bring in a sense of unity, discipline, commitment, dedication and Indian values and ethos amongst the youth.

    NCC has grown quite substantially from its authorised strength of 1.67 lakh cadets in 1948 to approximately 11.93 lakh cadets. This includes the additional 30,000 cadet strength sanctioned by the Ministry of Defence in December 1998 for enrolment in Andhra Pradesh. NCC today is functioning in 7,220 schools and 5,043 colleges which includes 122 Navodaya Vidyalayas consisting of 8,100 cadets. The wing-wise distribution of the authorised cadet strength is -Army Wing - 9,10,031; Air Wing - 65,150; Naval Wing - 63,450; girls Wing - 1,54,762.

Training Camps

    Various training camps were conducted during the Training Year 1999-2000.

    Over four hundred annual training camps were organised and 2,10,000 cadets attended these camps during the first half of the Training Year 1999-2000. The National Integration Camps (NIC) were attended by cadets from across the country. This year 69 camps have been planned at different places in which 50,000 cadets are likely to participate. In addition, an NIC has been planned at Port Blair in which 64 cadets from mainland and 50 from the islands will participate. As many as 3,760 cadets attended the Centrally-organised camps at various places during the first half of the Training Year.

    Once in a year 882 cadets attend the Vayu Sainik Camp (VSC) at the Air Force Station, Jalahalli (Bangalore). This time, the camp was conducted from November 02 to 13, 1999.

    The Nau Sainik Camps (NSC) are also organised once in a year for 12 days. The last camp was held at Vishakhapatnam from November 02-13, 1999.

    The Annual Thal Sainik Camp was conducted in the NCC Camp, Garrison Parade Ground, Delhi Cantt from November 21 to December 02, 1999. The camp was attended by 640 cadets.

Youth Exchange Programme

    One officer and 4 NCC cadets (2 girls and 2 boys) of the Air Wing attended the NCC Air Wing Programme in Singapore from June 05 to 19, 1999. In addition, one officer and 4 NCC cadets (2 boys and 2 girls) participated in the naval programme of Singapore during the same period.

    A team of two NCC cadets (one boy and one girl) visited Sri Lanka between October 21 to 28, 1999.

    One officer and four cadets attended the Army Day Camp of the Royal Army in Nepal.

    To broaden the cadets’ horizon, the NCC undertakes a number of community development programmes. For the first time in history, NCC’s, cadets lent a helping hand in ensuring a smooth conduct of the 13th General Elections held in September-October 1999. Volunteers were called from amongst the NCC cadets above 18 years of age. There was a tremendous response from the cadets. However, the actual deployment was at the discretion of the State governments. A total number of 48,350 cadets were deployed on various poll-related duties during the 1999 General Election. Their role was widely acclaimed.

    NCC cadets throughout the country expressed solidarity with our brave soldiers fighting in Kargil by helping their families, especially those located in far-flung and remote areas. Help was extended in the form of writing letters, making Govt/private agencies aware of the hardship faced by our soldiers and also taking canteen facilities to their doorstep. In addition, a large number of cadets donated blood for soldiers wounded in Kargil operations.

    Consequent to the devastation caused by the super cyclone which hit the coastal Orissa in October 1999, NCC cadets from the State were pressed into service to assist the ongoing relief operations. Over 800 cadets participated in burial of decomposed bodies of human beings and animals, restoring civic amenities and normalcy in villages and towns, provided medical aid, distributed packets of food and clothes.