Only 49 Colleges In India Opt To Make NCC An Elective Subject

Shillong:  Director General of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Lt Gen Vinod Vashisht today said only 49 colleges in the country have opted to make NCC as their elective subjects. The NCC chief has also urged state governments in the North-east region to adopt and have NCC as an elective subject in educational institutions. "We have made plans and there are 49 colleges in our country that has opted and taken NCC as elective subject. Books are ready," Lt Gen Vashist told PTI during his two day visit to the state here. Expressing regret that none of the state governments in the region has taken the opportunity, he said, "If they do not want it, it is their call. It has happened in the last two years," urging the state governments to make use of the opportunity.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had issued a notification directing all universities about offering it as a subject in 2016 although NCC as an elective subject was first proposed in 2013 by the Human Resources Development (HRD) ministry.

From the NCC point of view, offering NCC as an elective subject is seen as opportunity to woo students into its fold without them losing too many hours to attend to NCC classes.

In its official syllabus, the NCC will have a common service subject and specific subjects for the Army, Navy and Air Force for teaching and will be taken as a regular subject rather than an extra-curriculum by the educational institutions.

An NCC officer, who wished not to be named, said the state government is taking time to initiate this seeking legal opinion and other experts opinions on the matter.

Making NCC as an elective subject is expected to attract more students to join the organisation without worrying much about their academics, he said.

At present there are about 13.8 lakh cadets in the country and about 89,000 of them are enrolled in the entire North East region alone.

With regards to the Youth Exchange Programme (YEP) the NCC used to have previously with Canada and other western countries, Lt Gen Vashish said the NCC is conducting YEP programmes with 11 countries including its neighbour countries and from those in Central Asia and Russia.

"Our national interests do not lie in Canada but in the Regional neighbourhood. We are having YEP programme with 11 countries now but in proximity to Central Asia, South East Asia and Russia," he said.

He said countries like Kazakhstan, Kyrgzstan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Singapore and Vietnam are some of the countries the NCC are having the YEP with. 

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