Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Calls for Greater National Role of NCC

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the first Governing Council Meeting of the National Cadet Corps Alumni Association (NCCAA) on July 11, 2025, at South Block in New Delhi, underscoring the role of former cadets as key contributors to national development.

Image Source: RMOIndia on X

The NCCAA, a newly established flagship body, aims to bring together former and current NCC cadets under a common platform to continue supporting India’s largest uniformed youth organisation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the association’s first registered member; Rajnath Singh is the second.

Addressing the gathering, the Defence Minister described the NCC as a unique institution shaping India’s youth through discipline and patriotism. He said the alumni, now leaders across various sectors, are not just passive participants in the country’s growth but active architects of change. Singh called for their inclusion in driving developmental goals and enhancing national unity.

He urged the Association to promote the ethos of “NCC Plus” — taking the discipline, unity, and civic spirit of NCC cadets beyond the organisation to wider communities. Singh emphasized that even those who were never cadets should be touched by NCC’s core values.

Highlighting the role of NCCAA in civic initiatives, he encouraged its participation in national programmes like ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’, the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, and other community-based schemes. He noted that such outreach would influence and uplift large population segments.

Rajnath Singh also acknowledged NCC’s critical contribution to youth development, particularly in remote areas, where it has fostered discipline, motivation, and national integration through its motto, “Unity and Discipline.”

Senior government officials and NCC stakeholders attended the meeting, including Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar, Youth Affairs Secretary Dr Pallavi Jain Govil, Additional Defence Secretary Dipti Mohil Chawla, NCC Director General Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh, and representatives from training, education, and private sector initiatives tied to the NCC.

The Council discussed strategies to expand alumni participation, scale civic engagement programmes, and mobilize former cadets as a national resource.