**Executive Summary**
On March 21, 2026, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addressed the Diamond Jubilee of Sainik School, Ghorakhal, highlighting the evolving nature of modern warfare and the necessity of a vigilant citizenry. The address emphasized the importance of youth development, the expansion of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), and the establishment of new educational infrastructure. Key updates include the expansion of NCC capacity to 20 lakh cadets and the integration of girls into Sainik Schools to bolster ‘Nari Shakti’.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Modern Warfare and National Security**
* **Broadened Scope:** Modern conflicts now encompass economic, digital, energy, cyber, space, and food security, requiring a paradigm shift in national defense strategies.
* **Citizen Preparedness:** Security is no longer limited to the military; it requires "prepared citizens" who are vigilant and capable of supporting the nation under all circumstances.
**Youth Development and Values**
* **Mental Toughness:** Youth are encouraged to develop mental toughness, intellectual clarity, discipline, and determination.
* **The "VUCA" Framework:** To navigate modern challenges, students are exhorted to adopt a personal version of VUCA: Vision, Understanding, Courage, and Adaptability.
**Institutional Expansion and Initiatives**
* **Sainik School Expansion:** The government has decided to establish 100 new Sainik Schools across India using a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
* **NCC Growth:** The intake capacity of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) has been increased from 17 lakh to 20 lakh cadets.
* **Gender Inclusivity:** The admission of girls into Sainik Schools is highlighted as a revolutionary step to empower women (‘Nari Shakti’) across various sectors.
**Legacy of Sainik School, Ghorakhal**
* **60-Year Milestone:** The school has completed 60 years of service, having sent over 800 students to the National Defence Academy (NDA) and 2,000 candidates to the Armed Forces.
**Impact Analysis**
**Youth and Students**
**Impact**
Students are now viewed as central to national security, requiring a broader skillset beyond traditional academics to handle multifaceted modern threats.
**Action Required**
Youth must strive to imbibe values of discipline and nation-building while developing the "VUCA" attributes (Vision, Understanding, Courage, and Adaptability).
**Girls**
**Impact**
Girls now have the historic opportunity to gain admission into Sainik Schools, paving the way for leadership roles in the Armed Forces and other professional sectors.
**Action Required**
Eligible female candidates should seek admission to these institutions to become future "torchbearers of Nari Shakti."
**Private Sector Partners**
**Impact**
The government's shift toward a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model for 100 new schools creates a collaborative role for private entities in defense-oriented education.
**Action Required**
Interested private partners must engage with the Ministry of Defence framework to establish and manage these new institutions.
**National Cadet Corps (NCC)**
**Impact**
The organization is undergoing a significant scale-up in its operational capacity to accommodate an additional 3 lakh cadets.
**Action Required**
The NCC must implement administrative and training adjustments to manage the expanded intake capacity of 20 lakh cadets.
Key Entities Referenced
Sainik Schools: Educational institutions undergoing a major expansion through a 100-school Public-Private Partnership model and the historic inclusion of female students.
National Cadet Corps (NCC): A youth development organization whose cadet intake capacity has been officially expanded from 17 lakh to 20 lakh.
Rajnath Singh: The Minister of Defence (Raksha Mantri) who announced the expansion of defence education initiatives and defined the scope of modern multi-domain warfare.
Sainik School, Ghorakhal (Uttarakhand): The specific institution celebrating its Diamond Jubilee, cited as a primary feeder for the National Defence Academy and Armed Forces.
Ministry of Defence
Modern-day warfare transcends borders, robust
military supported by prepared citizens must to
secure national interests: Raksha Mantri
“Youth need to develop Vision, Understanding, Courage &
Adaptability to navigate modern challenges effectively”
“Girls passing out of Sainik Schools will soon become
torchbearers of 'Nari Shakti'”
Posted On: 21 MAR 2026 2:02PM by PIB Delhi
“Present-day warfare transcends borders, with national security encompassing economic, digital, energy,
and even food security,” said Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh as he underscored the need of a robust
military supported by prepared citizens capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder to protect the nation
under any circumstances. Virtually addressing the Raising Day celebrations and the Diamond Jubilee of
Sainik School, Ghorakhal in Uttarakhand on March 21, 2026, he asserted that the nature of conflicts has
undergone a paradigm shift as a nation can today be weakened through economic, cyber, space and
information warfare, which demands every citizen to remain vigilant & prepared at all times.
While the Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is leaving no stone
unturned to equip the defence forces with niche weapons & technologies, Raksha Mantri emphasised that
the citizens, especially the youth, need to develop mental toughness and intellectual clarity through
discipline & determination to help the nation tackle any and every situation. Referring to the concept of
VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous), he exhorted the students to develop their own
version of VUCA i.e., Vision, Understanding, Courage and Adaptability, to navigate modern challenges
effectively.
Highlighting the steps taken by the Government towards ensuring that a larger number of youth imbibe the
values essential for nation-building, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that recently a decision was taken to
establish 100 new Sainik Schools across the country in the Public-Private Partnership model. He added
that another initiative includes increasing the number of vacancies within the National Cadet Corps
(NCC). “Earlier, the NCC had an intake capacity of 17 lakh cadets; this has now been expanded to 20
lakh,” he said.
Raksha Mantri described the decision of admission of girls into Sainik Schools as historic and
revolutionary, which is bolstering the country’s 'Nari Shakti'. These girls will, in the times to come,
become the torchbearers of 'Nari Shakti' and scale new heights across various sectors, he said.
Extending his greetings to students, faculty, alumni and their families on Sainik School, Ghorakhal
completing 60 years of dedicated service to the nation, Shri Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that the
students will continue to uphold the highest standards of discipline and dedication, bringing pride to theirfamilies, institution and the nation. “Over decades, the school has sent more than 800 students to the
National Defence Academy and over 2,000 candidates to the Armed Forces through various entry schemes
such as Combined Defence Services Examination and Air Force Common Admission Test. He hoped that
the institution will continue to produce leaders who contribute meaningfully to nation-building. The
distinguished alumni of the school, including General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command
Lt Gen MK Katiyar, are a source of inspiration to the students, he added.
Speaking at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Sainik School Ghodakhal
(Uttarakhand). https://t.co/4NU3AuQnKh
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 21, 2026
VK/Savvy/SS
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