Guwahati: Raksha Rajya Mantri (Minister of State for Defence) Sanjay Seth has called for a coordinated push to expand the National Cadet Corps (NCC) from its current strength of approximately 17 lakh cadets to 20 lakh, emphasising the need for stronger infrastructure, better training facilities and greater participation among young people.
Seth made the remarks while chairing the Special Joint State Representatives and Additional Director General’s Conference 2026 in Guwahati, Assam, on October 15. Organised by the NCC, the conference brought together representatives from seven northeastern states, West Bengal and Sikkim to discuss ways to expand and strengthen the organisation.
He urged all nine participating states to develop practical, actionable plans for NCC expansion and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the organisation’s infrastructure and training requirements.
Sanjay Seth Calls for Action Plan to Expand NCC
Addressing the conference, Seth highlighted the NCC’s role in developing discipline, leadership, national integration and a spirit of service among young people.
He stressed the importance of motivating cadets to embrace the principle of ‘Nation First’, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for youth development and national service.
Quoting the Prime Minister, Seth said:
“The NCC is a movement that empowers India’s Yuva Shakti, making our youth confident, disciplined, and dedicated to the nation.”
The minister emphasised that expanding the NCC would require more than increasing enrolment. States would also need to ensure adequate training infrastructure, institutional support and effective coordination among the organisation, state governments and other stakeholders.
Key priorities identified at the conference included:
- Expanding NCC coverage across the participating states.
- Strengthening training infrastructure and facilities.
- Improving cadet welfare and institutional support.
- Addressing administrative challenges affecting the organisation.
- Encouraging greater participation by girls.
- Promoting leadership, character-building and community service.
Northeast NCC Directorate Covers Seven States
The NCC’s North Eastern Region Directorate oversees activities across the seven northeastern states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.
According to figures shared at the conference, the directorate operates through nine Group Headquarters and 50 units, with NCC activities extending to 1,645 educational institutions.
The region has approximately 1.25 lakh cadets, reflecting the organisation’s existing presence across schools and colleges.
The conference highlighted the need to build on this network and identify practical measures to extend NCC participation to more institutions and young people.
NCC Presence in Northeast, West Bengal and Sikkim
The figures presented at the conference outlined the organisation’s reach across the two directorates:
North Eastern Region NCC Directorate
- Group Headquarters: 9
- Units: 50
- Educational institutions covered: 1,645
- Cadet strength: Approximately 1.25 lakh
West Bengal and Sikkim NCC Directorate
- Group Headquarters: 6
- Units: 56
- Educational institutions covered: 1,326
- Cadet strength: Approximately 1.25 lakh
Together, the two directorates cover nine states and have a combined reported strength of approximately 2.5 lakh cadets.
Girl Cadets and Republic Day Camp Participation Highlighted
Seth appreciated the participation of cadets from northeastern states in the Republic Day Camp (RDC), while also noting the increasing enrolment of girl cadets.
He said their participation reflected the NCC’s contribution to women’s empowerment and the development of confidence and leadership among young people.
The conference also considered cadet welfare and training facilities as important elements of the organisation’s expansion. The emphasis was on ensuring that increased enrolment is supported by adequate institutional capacity and opportunities for effective training.
NCC’s Role Extends Beyond Military Training
The discussions in Guwahati also highlighted the NCC’s contribution to activities beyond formal cadet training.
The organisation promotes social service, community development, character-building, leadership and national integration. Its programmes seek to encourage young people to develop discipline, a sense of responsibility and a willingness to contribute to society.
The conference provided a platform for state representatives and NCC officials to discuss how these objectives could be strengthened alongside the proposed expansion in cadet numbers.
Nine States Participate in NCC Expansion Conference
The conference was led by NCC Director General Lieutenant General Virendra Vats and attended by Sanjay Seth, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Dipti Mohil Chawla, ministers and senior officials from the participating states, as well as senior representatives of the Defence Ministry and NCC.
The participating states were:
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Assam
- Manipur
- Meghalaya
- Mizoram
- Nagaland
- Tripura
- West Bengal
- Sikkim
Their participation was intended to strengthen coordination between state governments and the NCC on expansion plans, training infrastructure, cadet welfare and administrative requirements.
NCC Expansion Linked to Nation-Building and Youth Development
The Guwahati conference placed the proposed increase in NCC strength within a broader effort to strengthen youth participation, leadership and national service.
Seth called on the participating states to translate discussions into practical plans, with particular attention to infrastructure and training capacity.
The target of increasing the NCC’s strength from approximately 17 lakh to 20 lakh cadets reflects the government’s stated ambition to broaden the organisation’s reach while strengthening its role in youth development and nation-building.
Read Also: RRM Sanjay Seth Inaugurates SAREX-2026 as 24th NMSAR Board Meeting Reviews Maritime SAR Preparedness
