The coronavirus outbreak came to light on December 31st, 2019 when China informed the World Health Organisation of a cluster of cases of pneumonia of an unknown cause in Wuhan City in Hubei Province subsequently the disease spread to more provinces in China and to the rest of the world. The WHO has now declared it a pandemic. The virus has been named SARS-COV-2 and the disease is now called Covid-19.
The National Cadets Corps (NCC) has created an army of 50,000 volunteers, who are being deployed across the country on the basis of requests from state governments to help in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The number of NCC corona warriors volunteers has reached 50,000 and more joining in, “The Director General of the NCC, Lt. Gen. Rajeev Chopra told”.
He said states such as Tamil Nadu, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh had already deployed the NCC volunteers and they are also deployed in Kerala and Odisha. The states are seeing the advantages of employing the NCC cadets as it frees up their own staff for more work and hence the demand is increasing. The NCC which operates under the Ministry of Defence is the largest uniformed youth organization in the country with an approximate strength of 14 lakhs. But only senior division volunteer cadets above 18 years of age - boys and girls are being used to help the civil administration. Ltd. Gen. Chopra said that within 15 days, 37000 cadets have deployed countrywide in 14 states with the maximum in Gujarat where over 1100 cadets are deployed for various duties.
In view of the global pandemic Covid-19, NCC cadets are doing vital task of spreading awareness in the state of spreading awareness in the state and also helping the administration at the grass roots level, which reinforces in the cadets, sense of discipline, service to nation and duty with devotion. NCC cadets playing important role during lockdown period. Girls cadets and women officers are participating excellent services in this battle against corona. Governor Bandaru Dattatreya views for women cadets and all cadets that they are inspiring to all world in this crisis. He said that women live in rural and urban areas should come forward in spreading awareness in this regard, which will also enhance awareness among people about health and hygiene in rural and urban areas providing a new direction to overall development.
NCC officers to make NCC wing more popular among the students to instill the spirit of discipline and sense of duty in them so that more number of youth join the NCC. This will also boost the spirit of service and participation of youth in development. NCC cadets are serving with local administration and helping in various capacities throughout the state. They have been mostly deployed around their home area. They are also medically checked up every week. NCC has been very instrumental in assisting the local administration during Covid-19.
Following Prime Minister Narender Modi’s call to involve youth organisations like the National Cadet Corps in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak, Karnataka and Goa directorate is reaching out to its cadets via whatsapp to spread awareness about the virus. Modi during his address to the nation had urged youth organisations like the NCC to encourage citizens to stay inside their homes between 7 am and 9 am on March 22. The directorate now has started to reach out to the cadets via whatsapp as all educational institutions in the state have been shut down.
Colonel P. Jai Govind, director, NCC Directorate Karnataka and Goa told BM “I will observe Janta Curfew on March 22 from 7 am to 9 pm. I will applaud the contribution of armed forces, government staff, delivery men Postmen, cleaners, health care and hospital staff, police and janitors who are working hard to make our lives better and easier by clapping hands or ringing the bell at 5 pm on March 22 from my home, the whatsapp message urging the cadets to take a pledge, reads.
NCC cadets are working as a corona warriors in 550 districts. 8500 NCC cadets and 500 NCC staff in 19 states and UTs and another 17,000 NCC cadets have been enrolled as warriors in our country. They are our pride and we must appreciate their glorious work with different ways.
The discussion for motto of NCC was started in 11th Central Advisory Meeting (CAD) held on 11th August, 1978. At that time, there were many mottos in mind like “Duty and Discipline”, “Duty, Unity and Discipline”, “Duty and Unity”, “Unity and Discipline”. Later at the 12th CAD meeting on 12th October 1980, they selected and declared “Unity and Discipline” as motto for the NCC.
They are secular and disciplined citizens of the nation at this time and in this outbreak they are working as a social worker and their objective to help public and administration wherever help public and administration wherever required. The tasks envisaged for NCC cadets include, manning of helpline, call centers, distribution of relief materials, medicines, food, essential commodities, community, assistance, data management and queue and traffic management. The ministry said that only senior division volunteer cadets above 18 years of age will be employed. NCC cadets are a trained force and their uniform would symbolise discipline. It would be easy for them to assist officials, who are already working hard.
The study is based on a Online Research Methods (ORM). ORMs are ways in which researchers can collect data via the internet. The field is relatively new and evaluing. In this pandemic crisis we used ORMs and Data have been collected from the (100) respondents by currently the largest social media site in the world like Facebok and Whatsapp groups etc. and secondary information through (IDIS) Individual Depth Interviews.
There are more cadets are signing up to be corona warriors in India. The NCC networks is spread through out the country, as its 17 directorate cover all the 28 states and eight union territories. These directorates are further divided into 96 groups and 825 units thus ensuring availability of cadets to the district administration in all the states like Bangluru, Kerala, Gujarat, Delhi etc.
There are 96 group Head quarters in the country who exercise control over a network of 684 Army wing units (including technical and girl unit) 69 Noval Wing units and 61 Air Squardons And 17 directorates are divided in total of 814 units divide in these three service group. These all are hundred respondents represented to their units and struggling with covid for our nation. Each cadet is powerful and having a lot of patience. We are thankful to their bravery.