NCC in Schools give the feel of “All Indians are my brothers and sisters” to the cadets. A career in the armed forces has always had its charm for the youth. There has been always a sense of pride and prestige associated with a career in the armed forces. Donning the uniform of any of the three wings of the armed forces i.e., army, navy or the air force is a dream of millions of students in the country. The National Cadet Corps (NCC) is the youth wing of the armed forces that gives cadets a glimpse of the military life. NCC is open to all school and college students on a voluntary basis.

Armed forces – A Fascination for the youth

The armed forces have always had held a fascination for the youth. And why not? After all life in the armed forces has always been associated with adventure, courage, bravery, valour, discipline and confidence. With around 1.4 personnel, India has the second largest military force in the world. The Indian army performs a key role of patrolling the country’s borders, totaling around 15,200 kilometers. India, as we all know has a lengthy coastline measuring approximately 7,500 kilometers. It is surrounded by the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. The Indian navy therefore, has a key role to play in defending the country’s maritime borders. Similarly, the Indian Air Force, is assigned with the task of protecting the vast Indian airspace.

Several benefits of joining the NCC

You can get information about joining the NCC from your principal. What if your school is not enlisted as a NCC-sub unit? In such cases, you can seek the guidance of the Commanding Officer of the nearest NCC unit. There are several benefits of joining the NCC in Schools. Let us take a look at them:-

Discipline: The cadets are put through rigorous physical training and drill routines which helps in inculcating a sense of discipline through hard work.

Camps: The cadets get to attend various camps. This gives them a chance to visit different places and experience varied cultures.
Courage: The tough NCC training, plus the learnings about the armed forces provided as part of the training, also instill a sense of courage, bravery and patriotism among the cadets.
Experience cultures: Life in NCC camps helps the cadets to meet and interact with students from different states, even countries sometimes, and learn about different cultures.

Leadership qualities: NCC is helpful in developing the leadership traits in cadets.
Training: As part of the military training, cadets are exposed to different types of training such as parades, rope climbing, para gliding, rifle shooting, rappelling, trekking, drills, etc.
Learnings: Life in the NCC is not just about military training. There are other learnings to be had. Cadets learn about things such as map reading, management topics, conducting social service activities. (Eye donation, blood donation, disaster relief, etc.).
Job preference: Cadets are awarded ‘A’, ‘B, and ‘C’ certificates based on the level of their training. NCC in Schools provide the perfect launchpad for a career in the armed forces.

If you are a ‘C’ certificate holder, then you need not write the entrance exam and are directly called for the SSB (Services Selection Board). Similarly many private, as well as public sector enterprises are known to give preference to NCC candidates for jobs.

TCIS have designed activities, for different age groups that help them understand the glorious services of the Indian armed forces.