12,000 MORE NCC CADET VACANCIES IN PUNJAB

AMRITSAR: Under the Centre’s scheme to expand the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in border and coastal belts in the country, Punjab has been allotted around 12,000 vacancies of cadets of 1 lakh seats that defence minister Rajnath Singh has approved, said Brig RK Mour, group commander, Amritsar, at group headquarters on Monday.

A large share of these vacancies, around 8,660 (70%), has been allotted to the Amritsar group which comprises Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur and Pathankot. Ferozepur and Fazilka, which come in Jalandhar group, get 3,300 vacancies, he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech, had said the National Cadet Corps (NCC) will be expanded in 173 border and coastal districts, and nearly 1 lakh new cadets — around onethird of new cadets being girls — will be trained.

Though schools and colleges are closed due to the pandemic, local NCC officials have started work to implement the scheme in the border belt of Punjab. “Amritsar NCC group has a major role to play in making the PM’s vision a reality. The group has been allotted 8,660 vacancies, against the present strength of 12,040 vacancies thus increasing our number by almost 70%. These cadets will be enrolled from schools/institutions in border areas. This expansion plan would be implemented in partnership with the state administration,” he said.

Brig Mour added, “The scheme is open to all government and private institutions and it will be initially centrally funded. The requirement is to have a school with minimum 500 students and provision of a teacher under 42 years of age, who should volunteer to become an ANO (Assistant NCC Officer).”