National Cadet corps (NCC) has a motto of ‘Unity and Discipline’.  It helps in overall development of youth and building up the nation by inculcating unity, national integration and discipline in young generation in particular.  Notably, NCC is the biggest youth organization in the country primarily working on:

• To develop character, courage, commandership, discipline leadership, secular outlook, spirit of adventure and the ideals of selfless service amongst the youth of the country.
• To create human resource of organized, trained and motivated youth to provide leadership in all walks of the life and always available for the service of the nation.
• To provide suitable environment to motivate the youth to take up a career in the Armed Forces.

          The Government of India had appointed the ” National Cadet Corps Committee” during 1946 under the chairmanship of Pandit Hridaynath Kunjru.  This Committee had thoroughly studied the army training to the youth prevailing in the developing countries in those days and submitted a detailed report to Government of India in March, 1947.  The Government of India accepted the recommendations of this Committee and prepared a bill.  This bill was passed during April 1948 by the parliament thus creating the national Cadet Corps (NCC) in the Schools and Colleges.

          Further, to widen the scope of the NCC training, Girls’ Division during 1949, Air Wing in 1952 and Navy wing during 1952 were established.  After Chinese aggression of 1962, NCC was made compulsory to all the healthy students of the colleges.

          As all you know, the NCC is an important organization, which leads the young boys and girls towards National Integration and Self-discipline.  For almost eight decades now, NCC cadets have been carrying out invaluable work in the field of Social Service Disaster Management.  During the Mumbai floods, it was refreshing to see the young boys and girls of NCC extending helping hands to the people who were in distress.

          NCC plays a vital role in building up the nation.  It conducts various activities to motivate youth and the National Integration Camp (NIC) is one of them.  NIC camp that was organized at this University had brought 675 cadets form all over the country together to learn the customs and languages of each other.  They got the opportunity to study the agriculture, customs and culture of Maharashtra, interact with each other and exchange the knowledge.  This is possible only through such initiatives of NCC.  I am thankful to NCC for giving us an opportunity to participate in this noble endeavor.