NCC Key for Student Personality Development, Says Minister Chandrakant Patil

Mumbai, May 2026 : Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil on Monday said that the National Cadet Corps (NCC) plays a crucial role in shaping students’ personalities and instilling a sense of patriotism, and assured that all necessary facilities for NCC training in Maharashtra will be provided.

A review meeting on NCC volunteers, cadets, training centres, infrastructure and planning was held at Mantralaya under the chairmanship of Minister Patil. Senior officials present included Higher and Technical Education Department Principal Secretary Venu Gopal Reddy, Director of Technical Education Dr. Vinod Mohitkar, Director of Higher Education Dr. Shailendra Deolankar, NSS Director Milind Kale, Additional Director General of NCC Directorate Major General Vivek Tyagi, NCC Group Captain K.D. Deepak, Commander P. Sudan, Maharashtra Naval representative Major Eshan Krishna, and officers from the NCC Girls Battalion.

Speaking at the meeting, Patil said NCC is not just an academic or extracurricular programme, but a powerful platform that develops social responsibility, leadership qualities, discipline, national service and organisational skills among students. He stressed the need to encourage greater participation of students in NCC training and called for more effective and time-bound planning of training programmes.

The minister noted that space constraints have been identified in major cities such as Mumbai and Nagpur, and said that efforts will be made to resolve these issues on priority. He stated that a joint meeting between the Sports and Youth Welfare Department and the Higher and Technical Education Department will be held to ensure the creation of separate and well-equipped facilities for NCC training.

Patil assured that positive steps will be taken to provide dedicated infrastructure for NCC training centres by identifying suitable land and ensuring necessary facilities are developed in a systematic manner. He also discussed in detail with NCC officials the possibilities of land availability and the required support systems for establishing training centres across the state.

He emphasised that youth play a vital role in the development of the state, and initiatives like NCC help cultivate social awareness, discipline, leadership skills and patriotism among students. He said the government will continue to strengthen such programmes to ensure holistic development of the youth.

During the meeting, detailed discussions were also held on increasing youth participation in the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with exploring various opportunities available for students under the scheme.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening youth development initiatives and enhancing institutional support for skill-building, leadership training and career-oriented programmes across Maharashtra.