Defence ministry to reshape NCC, use its officers for combat duty

Earlier this week, the government has approved 65 recommendations of the Sheketkar panel for implementation.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

NEW DELHI:  New Delhi: With poor track record of producing officers, the functioning of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), the country’s premier youth organisation, is under the scanner and forcing the government to make sweeping changes. Lt Gen D B Shekatkar Committee—appointed by the government to enhance the combat potential of the armed forces and re-balancing defense expenditure—has suggested several changes for the NCC, even the possibility of shifting the NCC under the Human Resources Development (HRD) Ministry. Earlier this week, the government has approved 65 recommendations of the Sheketkar panel for implementation.

On the basis of recommendations, the Defence Ministry is re-restructuring it by bringing the retired officers into the service. The serving officers, who are at present posted in the NCC, will be deployed in combat areas. Such move will not only be a cost-cutting measure, but also provide serving officers for other important areas. “There is no need for combat officers to be posted in NCC. Such officers should rather be deployed in operational areas to increase the ‘teeth-to-tail’ ratio. Instead, retired officers should be brought in the system, which can share their expertise with cadets and train them accordingly,” said a senior officer.

However, no decision to transfer the NCC from Defence Ministry to Union HRD Ministry has been taken so far. With annual budget of over `600 crore and yet with a success ratio of less than 1 per cent, the NCC has turned out to be a white elephant for the Defence Ministry.With strength of over 2,000 officers from the three services, who are deputed for commanding units or staffing directorate headquarters, the NCC has turned out to be a parking lot for officers who want a selective place of posting, with no expertise in training.

Recently, over a dozen officers from the military intelligence were reportedly posted in NCC. In addition, a large number of JCOs and NCOs form the permanent instructional cadre to impart training to cadets. With a cadet strength of close to 14 lakh, the NCC is the world’s largest youth organisation, mandated to inculcate discipline and comradeship among its volunteer members.Last year, nearly 120 courts of inquiry were ordered by the NCC authorities across the country to probe multiple allegations of corruption in the cadet corps.

No Uniform Code

■ The NCC has not only turned out to be a white elephant for the defense ministry, but also a parking lot for many officers lately 
■ Recently, over a dozen officers from the military intelligence were reportedly posted in the NCC 
■ Last year, nearly 120 courts of inquiry were ordered by the NCC authorities to probe multiple allegations of corruption in the cadet corps

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