State govts draw in 1.4 mn NCC cadets to fight coronavirus pandemic

Amongst those who have pressed the NCC into service is the deputy commissioner of Kangra district in HP, who has requisitioned 86 cadets to assist the police in ensuring social distancing till April 1

State governments, desperate for personnel to implement the fight against the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, have started requisitioning services of a potent national resource — the 1.4 million cadets of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), a strength larger even than the Indian Army.

By Monday, the governments of Madhya Pradesh (MP), Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh (HP), Tamil Nadu (TN), Uttar Pradesh, Meghalaya, and the Union Territories of Ladakh and Puducherry have requested for more than 550 cadets. In addition, some states have called for NCC volunteers to assist.

“Some of them have started giving service from April 6,” said the Ministry of