NEW DELHI — On July 13, 2026, the Vice-President of India, C. P. Radhakrishnan, called for enhanced collaboration between the central and state governments to expand the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and the Sainik Schools network. During a briefing at the Uprashtrapati Bhavan, Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth, alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, updated the Vice-President on the growth of the NCC into a youth organisation nearly 20-lakhs strong. The presentations outlined the NCC’s training and nation-building initiatives, as well as the ongoing functioning, expansion, and future roadmap of Sainik Schools across the country.
Radhakrishnan highly praised the NCC’s contributions to national integration, highlighting the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Camps and key community service efforts like the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. He also welcomed the creation of the NCC Alumni Association. Emphasizing that strengthening the cadet corps is a collective national duty, the Vice-President urged state governments to actively support infrastructure development, particularly regarding land allocation and training facilities, promising his full support in facilitating this state-level cooperation.
Turning to the Sainik Schools, the Vice-President reviewed both the existing models and the new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives. Acknowledging the rising demand from parents and students, he proposed that every state should target establishing three to five Sainik Schools, while also suggesting that the intake capacity of current schools be increased to accommodate more students.