New Delhi: In a major boost to youth development and national integration efforts, Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth on Tuesday announced the expansion of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) by three lakh cadets across the country. The announcement came during the inauguration of the Special Joint State Representatives and Additional/Deputy Directors General (JS R&A/D) Conference held in Bhopal.

Several states have already given their concurrence to the expansion plan and committed to expediting the development of the required training infrastructure.

Speaking at the conference, Sanjay Seth reaffirmed NCC’s role in youth empowerment and national service. He highlighted the Corps’ recent initiatives, including engaging ex-servicemen as instructors, thereby opening up new employment opportunities for veterans. He also praised NCC’s participation in key national campaigns such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Naya Savera Scheme, and Nasha Mukti Abhiyan.

He congratulated the NCC Mount Everest Expedition team for their summit on 18 May 2025, calling it “a powerful example of cadet courage and resilience”.

He urged state governments to follow through on their manpower, funding, and infrastructure commitments to support this expansion, stressing that strengthening NCC is essential to shaping the future of the country’s youth.

Director General NCC, Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh, presented an overview of the Corps’ progress and outlined the path ahead. He emphasised the importance of building robust training and camping infrastructure to support the increasing number of cadets and to improve overall participation and performance.

The event also saw the presence of ministers from the Education and Youth Affairs & Sports departments, senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, state representatives, and NCC directors from all over India.

BI Bureau