About 75,000 NCC Cadets joined Operation Sindoor to aid civil authorities and offer medical assistance, as revealed by Director General Lt Gen Virendra Vats. The National Cadet Corps (NCC) Republic Day Camp (RDC) 2026, a significant platform, aims to expose cadets to the country’s rich culture and traditions leading up to Republic Day. Lt Gen Vats emphasized the NCC’s role in instilling character and discipline in youth through various camps, marking 77 years of NCC service.
This year’s RD camp sees the participation of 2,406 cadets, including representatives from Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and the North East Region, along with cadets and officers from 25 Friendly Foreign Countries under the Youth Exchange Programme (YEP). The camp, held at Delhi Cantonment, will be graced by numerous dignitaries, including the Vice President, Defence Minister, Chief Minister of Delhi, Defence Secretary, Chief of Defence Staff, and the Chiefs of Army, Navy, and Air Force. The activities will culminate with the PM’s Rally on January 28, 2025.
Lt Gen Vats highlighted the widespread presence of NCC Units in over 90% of districts nationwide, noting a significant increase in NCC Cadet numbers from 20,000 in 1948 to nearly 20 lakh presently, with 40% being girl Cadets. He also underscored NCC’s role in fostering character and discipline through various camps, including organizing numerous Annual Training Camps, Special National Integration Camps, and Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Camps in 2025 to promote unity and strengthen bonds among cadets from diverse backgrounds.
In 2025, NCC engaged in various activities such as a Special Mountaineering Expedition to Mt Everest, aiding civil authorities and providing medical support during Operation Sindoor, border area outreach under the Vibrant Villages Programme, planting 8 lakh trees under the ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’ campaign, and involving 4 lakh cadets in the Viksit Bharat young leaders dialogue quiz.
