Context: Recently, Defence Minister has approved a proposal of the National Cadet Corps for a major expansion scheme to meet the aspirations of youth in all the border and coastal districts.
Key Points

• A total of one lakh cadets from 173 border and coastal districts will be inducted in the NCC. One-third of the Cadets would be girl Cadets. More than 1000 schools and colleges have been identified in border and coastal districts where NCC will be introduced. 
• As part of the expansion plan, a total of 83 NCC units will be upgraded (Army 53, Navy 20, Air Force 10), to impart NCC training to the cadets in the border and coastal areas.  
• Army will provide training and administrative support to the NCC units located in the border areas, Navy shall provide support to NCC units in the coastal areas and similarly Air Force will provide support to the NCC units located close to the Air Force stations.  
• This will not only provide exposure to the youth of the border and coastal areas to military training and disciplined way of life but will also motivate them to join the armed forces.  
• The NCC expansion plan will be implemented in partnership with the States. 

Significance of expansion

• While the NCC does have units in several borders and coastal districts, officials believe there is a lot of scope for expansion.
• In the coastal regions, where youth are already familiar with the sea, the training will increase interest in careers in Navy, Coast Guard and also Merchant shipping avenues.
• In the border area, the trained cadets can play an important role in various contingencies and also in supporting roles to the Armed forces in various roles.

National Cadet Corps  

• NCC is a tri-service organisation comprising of the Army, Naval and Air wings. 
• The motto of the organisation is ‘Unity and Discipline’, following which it prepares youth as disciplined and patriotic citizens. 
• NCC was formed under the National Cadet Corps Act, 1948. 
• Cadets are given basic military and weapons training in NCC, by serving officers of the Armed forces. 
• It is a voluntary organisation which recruits cadets from high schools, higher secondary, colleges and universities all over India. 
• The officers and cadets have no liability for active military service once they complete their course. 
• It can be traced back to the ‘University Corps’, which was created under the Indian Defence Act 1917, with the objective to make up for the shortage in the Army. 
• The NCC is headed by a Director General with the rank of Lieutenant General. 
• NCC falls under the domain of Ministry of Defence.