Did 75,000 NCC Cadets Really Participate in Operation Sindoor?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Jan 3 (NationPress) Approximately 75,000 NCC Cadets took part in Operation Sindoor, providing essential assistance to civil authorities and delivering medical aid, stated Director General Lt Gen Virendra Vats on Saturday while outlining the details of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Republic Day Camp (RDC) 2026.
Lt Gen Vats emphasized that the camp serves as a vital platform for cadets to experience the rich culture and traditions of our nation through significant events held in the National Capital leading up to Republic Day.
He also pointed out the crucial role the NCC plays in instilling character and discipline in the youth through various camps, congratulating the NCC community on reaching 77 years of dedicated service, as per an official statement.
This year's RDC camp includes 2,406 cadets, with 127 Cadets from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, and 131 Cadets from the North East Region. The event will also feature cadets and officers from 25 Friendly Foreign Countries participating under the Youth Exchange Programme (YEP), according to the statement.
Taking place at Delhi Cantonment, the camp is expected to attract a host of dignitaries, including the Vice President, the Defence Minister, the Chief Minister of Delhi, the Defence Secretary, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The activities will conclude with the PM’s Rally on January 28, 2025.
While addressing the press, Lt Gen Vats noted the expanding presence of NCC Units in over 90 percent of districts nationwide.
The number of NCC Cadets has surged significantly from 20,000 at its inception in 1948 to nearly 20 lakh today, with 40 percent being girl cadets, he stated.
He reiterated the NCC's significant role in fostering character and discipline among youth through various camps.
In 2025, the NCC organized 1,665 Annual Training Camps, 06 Special National Integration Camps, and 33 Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Camps to foster integration and strengthen ties among cadets from diverse regions and cultures.
Key highlights of NCC’s activities in 2025 include: a Special Mountaineering Expedition to Mt Everest; aiding civil authorities and delivering medical support, including voluntary blood donations, during Operation Sindoor; outreach in border areas under the Vibrant Villages Programme; planting 8 lakh trees under the Ek Ped Maa ke Naam initiative; and the participation of 4 lakh cadets in the Viksit Bharat young leaders dialogue quiz.