With the expansion of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) underway, the organisation has approached the Ministry of Home Affairs for utilising training facilities available with the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).
 
In a letter written to the Union Home Ministry a few days ago, the Directorate General, NCC, has sought details of the CAPF training areas that can be made available to the organisation for the conduct of its annual camps and proposed that the Ministry’s permission be accorded for the same.

While the NCC functions under the operational, administrative and financial control of the Ministry of Defence and draws its officers and instructional staff form the armed forces, the CAPF like the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force, Border Security Force or the Central Reserve Police Force, come under the purview of the Home Ministry.

NCC cadets are entitled to additional weightage in marks for recruitment in the CAPF if they hold A, B, or C certificates.

According to sources, a presentation was made by the NCC Directorate General before Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently on the organisation’s expansion and creation of 40 training areas.

The Defence Minister had asked the NCC to explore the feasibility of utilising training areas available with the CAPF in areas where the NCC or military infrastructure was not available with an intent to rationalise available government facilities and minimise expansion costs.
 
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the expansion of the NCC in his Independence Day address on August 15, the proposal was approved by the Defence Minister.

A total of one lakh cadets from 173 border and coastal districts will be inducted in the NCC. One-third of the cadets would be girls.

More than 1,000 schools and colleges have been identified in the border and coastal districts where the NCC will be introduced.

As part of the expansion, 83 NCC units will be upgraded to impart training to the cadets in these areas. These include 53 Army units, 20 Naval units and 10 Air units.

The NCC, the largest youth volunteer organisation in the world, imparts training to school and college students in basic military skills, leadership qualities and adventure activities.

 
It conducts about 1,500 camps annually, each with a strength of 400-600 cadets along with 4-5 officers and about 20 instructional staff.

Earlier, camps used to be conducted in open areas with the staff and cadets living in tents, but now camps are held where permanent built-up accommodation like barracks or hostels are available.

Many of the CAPF establishments have requisite facilities like permanent accommodation, classrooms, obstacle courses, firing ranges, auditorium, recreational and sports facilities.

Courtesy: Daily Tribune:  24nd August, 2020