Camp life in NCC

The sedentary lifestyle of youngsters nowadays has created an alarming situation in our society. Both physical and mental health of the youth has deteriorated considerably in today’s world which is dominated by the virtual social media.

In such a distressing situation, the National Cadet Corps (NCC) has shown a ray of hope. Joining NCC brings out the uniqueness of an individual. A NCC cadet gets the opportunity to develop his or her personality, confidence, punctuality, discipline, life skills and leadership abilities. The NCC grooms the youth of the nation into disciplined and patriotic citizens. 

Possibly wanting to spread this message, to those who never had an opportunity to be a part of NCC in their lifetimes, I intend to share my experiences during my NCC days. I was absolutely thrilled to enroll as an NCC Cadet which in turn allowed me to put on and flaunt the uniform. I have always been fascinated by the white, olive-green and blue uniforms of the NCC. The uniform gives the wearer a distinct identity which makes heads turn in awe and envy. The day I wore my uniform would remain etched in my memory forever.

Any school or college student can join the corps voluntarily. The cadets undergo various training in firearms, drill, yoga, disaster management, leadership, map reading, etc.

The organization has three tiers, Army, Navy and Air force.  These tiers conduct several camps at local and national levels to train the cadets. It is compulsory for the senior cadets to attend at least two camps for partial completion of the course.

Camps are of different types. For example, the CATC (Combined Annual Training Camp) at the local level focuses on the overall training of the cadets. The cultural competitions help young students to showcase their talents. The Special National Integration Camp (SNIC) which is held at the national level in challenging weather or away from the mainland challenges the grit of the cadets. Other national camps include RDC (Republic Day Camp), TSC (Thal Sainik Camp), etc. Special camps are organized for rock climbing, mountaineering, trekking, and sports.

The 60 Assam Girls’ NCC and 48 Naval NCC units jointly organized the local Combined Annual Training Camp 2015 in Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati, from June 16-25. Over 300 cadets from several local schools and colleges had participated in the camp.

On the first day of the camp, the cadets were instructed on the training programs at the camp. The training began the next morning at 6am with a yoga session, under the guidance of Ajit Kumar Sharma, a well known yoga instructor. This was repeated every morning and evening for a week.

Commander of NCC group Guwahati, brigadier JS Gulati motivated us and explained the aims and objectives of the training. Our camp commandant Colonel Deepak Kundra trained us on disaster management. Dr (Captain) Angur Begum, the ANO (Associate NCC Officer) of Pragjyotish College taught us fire-fighting and first-aid. The physical instructor taught us better drill techniques, unity and discipline. Different army officials trained us to use armed rifles to get a firsthand experience on these defense weapons. Later we were taken to the national shooting range, Kahilipara for firing practice. The ANO of the junior wing trained us to be disciplined and groomed us to be perfect cadets. The ANO of KRB Girls’ College helped us to enrich our knowledge on our country and groomed us to be better citizens. Apart from them, the SM (Subedar Major) of the 60 Assam Girls’ BN NCC kept guiding us to perfection throughout.  Cultural events were also organized to promote healthy competition.

The camp had coincided with the International Day of Yoga (June 21). More than 1,200 NCC cadets from the Guwahati group took part in the yoga session and pledged to incorporate Yoga in their daily routine.

It was truly a memorable experience for me. We learned self-reliance, developed a fierce sense of camaraderie and learnt to care for fellow citizens. Most importantly, we came out of the camp as better and healthier individuals both mentally and physically.

Poulami Kundu