Guwahati, Assam — Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth wrapped up the Joint State Representatives and Additional Director General Conference by handing state governments a clear mandate: help the National Cadet Corps induct 3 lakh new cadets. The directive lands as the Ministry of Defence seeks to scale up youth training in strategically sensitive zones, specifically the Northeast, West Bengal, and Sikkim.
Seth didn't mince words on the logistical hurdles. He told the assembly—including NCC Director General Lt Gen Virendra Vats and Additional Secretary Dipti Mohil Chawla—that expanding the corps requires permanent, modern training academies. "We cannot rely on temporary setups in geographically challenging areas," he noted, pressing state officials to unlock the bureaucratic bottlenecks holding back infrastructure development. The focus is on creating robust, year-round facilities rather than makeshift camps.
The political backing is visible. State representatives, including Assam Sports Minister Bishwajit Daimari and Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona, sat in on the session. Seth urged them to integrate NCC into academic curricula as credit-bearing electives. He also highlighted a push to increase female participation, aiming to use the NCC as a vehicle for women's leadership development and confidence building.
Budgetary constraints remain the elephant in the room. Joint Secretary (Finance & AF) Jitendar Kumar Mehan was present as Seth stressed the need for stronger fiscal support and the resolution of pending financial issues. The minister framed the investment not as a cost, but as a strategic asset for the nation's future manpower. He called for coordinated follow-up actions with strict timelines, ensuring that the center and state governments stop passing the buck.
The conference ended with a renewed pledge to uphold the NCC motto, "Unity and Discipline." The next step is a coordinated administrative rollout where state governments must submit their support plans. The goal is clear: a larger, better-trained, and more gender-diverse cadet corps by the end of the fiscal year.