Brig. Rajeev Thakur, Group Commandant, NCC Headquarters Shimla called on Governor Bandaru Dattatraya at Raj Bhavan, today. He urged the Governor to direct the State Universities to include NCC as a General Elective Credit Course as per the recommendation of University Grants Commission and All India Council for Technical Education.The Governor gave a clarion call to all Vice-Chancellors to implement the decision of NCC as a General Elective Credit Course in Universities of Himachal Pradesh under choice based credit system to align with the New Education Policy (NEP).He said that NCC was currently treated as an extra-curricular activity in majority of schools and colleges but NEP-2020 has proposed to remove separation between extra-curricular and co-curricular in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) and offer NCC as a Credit Course under Choice Based Credit System (CBCS). He added that CBCS semesters tend to be packed with academics leaving little time for extra-curricular activities like NCC. He said that NEP mandates all HEIs to include credit-based courses and projects of Social Services and Community Development (SSCD).Shri Dattatraya said that during Corona pandemic, NCC cadets were doing commendable job and had played an important role in the supply chain during last year as well. He said that the organization helped in instilling a sense of patriotism among students and in personality development.
He added that it was need of the hour that the lessons of discipline and holistic development should be taught to the students through NCC.On the occasion, Brig. Rajeev Thakur apprised the Governor that Group HQ NCC Shimla has five NCC Bns including one Girls NCC Bn, five Independent NCC Coys, one Naval Unit NCC and one Air Sqn. NCC spread over the 12 Districts of Himachal Pradesh and has a nurtured and well trained strength of 28,724 NCC cadets of all three wings of the defence forces. Currently NCC training was imparted as extra-curricular activity to volunteer students from recognized schools and colleges who enrol as cadets. He said that in 2013, CBSE and UGC issued circulars for introduction of NCC as elective subject on voluntary basis. Up to 2015, only 17 schools, 12 autonomous colleges and 42 non-autonomous colleges responded. He said that due to partial response, Ministry of Human Resource Development and UGC again issued a circular in 2016.“To introduce NCC in the universities of Himachal Pradesh as a “General Elective Credit Course” under the Choice Based Credit System, in line with NEP 2020 with the objective of harnessing the full potential of NCC’s capacity in youth development and enlarging the student base taking up NCC training in the country”, he proposed.Secretary to Governor Rakesh Kanwar and Col. Sunil Shankta of CO 7 HP, Ind. Cop. Shimla were also present on the occasion.