Meghalaya: NCC gets UGC nod to go elective

SHILLONG-  With rapid strides in making NCC attractive and to absorb the best talent, NCC North Eastern Region (NER) headquartered at Shillong has now opened forays for its cadets to choose NCC as an elective subject.

Concerted efforts have been initiated by Maj Gen Ananta Bhuyan, Additional Director General NER for early implementation of NCC as an elective subject in educational institutions in the North Eastern States.

The path breaking move, hailed unanimously as being futuristic will immensely benefit the cadets including those from Border Areas where additional cadet strength has been authorised as part of the overall Border Areas Expansion Plan.

The venture is based on the guidelines issued by UGC to the Vice Chancellors of all universities on 15 Apr 2021 for introduction of NCC as General Elective Credit Course (GECC) in response to the proposal mooted by the Directorate General National Cadet Corps, New Delhi.

The Vice Chancellors have also been asked by UGC to contact the State Officers of NCC Directorates for further information on the subject matter. This will offer a major advantage to the cadets especially those appearing in B and C Certificate Examinations which is awarded after stipulated training period of two to five years.

 These certificates offer several privileges ranging from reservation in admissions to institutions of higher learning and getting jobs in government organisations as well as the private sector. In addition to NCC Cadets regular non-cadet students can also opt for NCC as an elective subject.

The move has far reaching ramifications and is in consonance with the NEP 2020 wherein students can select their choice of subjects rather than being confined to only those being offered by the institutions.

It aims to make learning more holistic and skill oriented eventually facilitating career prospects. Pertinently, on successful completion of the course, the students are awarded credit points which will enable them to qualify for their respective degrees.

The NCC syllabus for B and C Certificates is designed as per the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) of NEP 2020 which grants twenty four credit points covering six semesters out of which a student can accrue four credits in the first two semesters and ten credits in the third and fourth semester and similarly ten credits in the fifth and sixth semester.

The proposed implementation, which is being planned from the forthcoming academic session has evoked positive response from the State Governments and is being viewed as a visionary step in the right direction.

 It will undoubtedly add to the appeal of the largest uniformed force which has contributed immeasurably to nation building since 1948.