On the stroke of midnight of 14/15 Aug 1947, India achieved her independence. Immediately after independence, India was confronted with problems of formidable magnitude concerning not only the repatriation of millions of displaced persons from Pakistan but also a full-scale invasion of Kashmir by the armed tribesmen supported by Pakistan. The armed forces had to rush to retrieve Kashmir at a time when they were already pre-occupied with the internal problem of maintaining law and order during the country’s initial stage of consolidation. The war in Kashmir and the consequent loss of a portion of Indian territory; the open support of Western Powers to Pakistan in the Security Council of the United Nations, made it more than evident to the Indian leaders that they not only had to strengthen the Armed Forces but also create sufficient strength of reserves, who could take up arms, when required. The gravity of time and event found expression in the Indian Legislature through anxious and pressing demand for military training of young men and women throughout the country.

Birth of the National Cadet Corps

The Kashmir War of 1948 taught a very important lesson to India, that freedom needs to be protected by strong Armed Forces. Its immediate manifestation was that the recommendations of the Kunzuru Committee were placed before the Constituent Assembly on 13 Mar 1948. A draft Bill was sent to the Constituent Assembly on 19 Mar 1948, which evoked great interest and enthusiasm amongst all members. After due deliberations and amendments, the Bill was passed by the Assembly on 08 Apr 1948. The Central Government accepted the opinion of the Provincial Governments and the Standing Committee’s recommendations for the formation of a Cadet Corps named the National Cadet Corps.

The Bill received the assent of the Governor General on 16 Apr 1948, and the National Cadet Corps came into being by an Act of Parliament (Act No. XXXI of 1948), designated ‘The National Cadet Corps Act 1948’. This Act, with 13 clauses, prescribed the formation of the National Cadet Corps in India. The first step in raising the NCC was the setting up of the NCC Secretariat, now called Headquarters Directorate General NCC. Even before the NCC Bill was passed, the Ministry of Defence had set up the nucleus of the NCC Secretariat, with Col Gopal Gurunath Bewoor as the first Director of the NCC. He took over on 31 Mar 1948.

Inauguration of NCC

The schools and colleges opened after summer vacation, and the NCC of Independent India was inaugurated on 15 Jul 1948. The journey of this Indian youth organisation, which has now become the largest uniformed youth organisation in the world, had begun.

In 1948, a total of 96 units of the Senior Division were raised, including one Armoured Corps, three Artillery, five Engineers, two Signals, two Medical, and 83 companies of Infantry. Due to delays in the establishment of NCC in Uttar Pradesh, Madras, and Bihar—whose governments required every student joining the NCC to be verified by police—only 20,000 cadets joined in that year.

The raising of Junior Division units faced challenges due to a shortage of trained school teachers. Many colleges and schools were unable to spare teaching staff except during summer vacation. Thus, the NCC, which now has 13 lakh cadets on its rolls, started with just 20,000 cadets in 1948.