The NCC Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh Directorate is the regional organisation of the National Cadet Corps responsible for NCC activities across the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. From the Jammu plains and Kashmir Valley to the high-altitude regions of Ladakh, the Directorate operates across one of India's most geographically diverse and strategically important regions.

The Directorate connects NCC Headquarters with Group Headquarters, NCC Units and educational institutions, giving young people across the region opportunities to develop discipline, leadership, teamwork, adventure and a spirit of national service.

As of 2026, the Directorate is led by Major General Anupinder Bevli, VSM, who assumed charge as Additional Director General in November 2024.

NCC Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh Directorate at a Glance

The Ministry of Defence stated in January 2024 that the Directorate had two Group Headquarters and 10 NCC Units, covering all three geographical regions, with an existing strength of 27,870 cadets. The same announcement approved four additional units and an additional capacity of 12,860 cadets.

A subsequent Ministry of Defence update confirmed that three Army NCC units and one Air Wing had been operationalised in J&K and Ladakh as part of the NCC expansion programme.

Where Does the NCC J&K & Ladakh Directorate Operate?

The Directorate has an unusual geographical responsibility because it covers two Union Territories separated by very different physical landscapes.

Its area includes:

• Jammu region

• Kashmir Valley

• Ladakh

• High-altitude areas

• Border and remote regions

• Major urban centres as well as geographically difficult rural areas

The Ministry of Defence has specifically described the Directorate as covering all three geographical regions—Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

This geographical diversity is significant for NCC. Cadets can participate in activities in environments ranging from the plains and foothills around Jammu to the mountains of Kashmir and the high-altitude terrain of Ladakh.

The region's geography also creates opportunities for adventure, mountaineering, trekking, field training and activities designed around the local environment.

How Is the Directorate Organised?

Like other NCC Directorates, the J&K and Ladakh Directorate functions within the broader NCC organisational structure:

Ministry of Defence
↓
Director General NCC
↓
NCC Directorate — Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh
↓
Group Headquarters
↓
NCC Units
↓
Schools, Colleges & Other Educational Institutions

The Directorate provides the link between the national-level NCC organisation and cadets enrolled in institutions across the two Union Territories.

The Directorate currently operates through two Group Headquarters. Government information published in January 2024 identified the two-Group structure and 10 existing units before the subsequent expansion.

Group Headquarters Under the Directorate

The Directorate has two major Group-level formations associated with its regional organisation:

Jammu Group

The NCC Group Headquarters Jammu coordinates NCC activities and units in the Jammu region. Recent Directorate activities have included training, camps, Republic Day preparation and community-oriented programmes.

The Group is also associated with the development of NCC training infrastructure in the Jammu region. In July 2025, the Zorawar NCC Training Academy at Udhampur was inaugurated for NCC cadets of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. The inauguration was attended by Maj Gen Anupinder Bevli and Brigadier D. N. Pandey, Group Commander, NCC Group Headquarters Jammu.

Srinagar Group

The NCC Group Headquarters Srinagar coordinates NCC activities in the Kashmir region and is also associated with NCC activities involving Ladakh.

For example, official and institutional reporting identifies cadets from Ladakh participating under the Srinagar Group. During Republic Day Camp 2025, cadets from 1 Ladakh Battalion NCC, Leh were part of the Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh Directorate contingent under Group Headquarters Srinagar.

Expansion of NCC in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh

One of the most important recent developments in the Directorate's history has been its expansion.

In January 2024, the Ministry of Defence announced approval for four additional NCC Units:

• A Mixed Army Battalion at Udhampur

• A Mixed Army Battalion at Kupwara

• A Mixed Army Battalion at Kargil

• An Air Squadron at Udhampur

The expansion was designed to increase NCC opportunities for young people across the region. The Ministry stated that the additional capacity would increase the Directorate's strength by 12,860 cadets, representing a 46.1% increase over the then-existing 27,870 cadets.

The expansion was subsequently operationalised. A Ministry of Defence update confirmed that three Army NCC Units and one Air Wing had become operational in J&K and Ladakh.

The expansion is particularly significant because it extends NCC opportunities into areas where geographical conditions and distance can make access to organised youth programmes more difficult.

NCC Units Across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh

The Directorate's units include Army, Naval and Air Wing establishments.

Before the recent expansion, the Ministry of Defence reported 10 NCC Units under the Directorate.

The subsequent expansion added:

• Udhampur Army Battalion

• Kupwara Army Battalion

• Kargil Army Battalion

• Udhampur Air Squadron

The Government of India later confirmed that all four new formations had been operationalised.

The expansion has also resulted in a stronger NCC presence in Ladakh. In 2025, the Administration of Union Territory of Ladakh reported on the newly raised 2 Ladakh Battalion NCC, Kargil, describing it as a new unit that was already developing its training and enrolment activities.

Selected Units with publicly documented recent activity

Among the units appearing in recent official or institutional reports are:

• 1 Ladakh Battalion NCC, Leh

• 2 Ladakh Battalion NCC, Kargil

• 6 J&K Battalion NCC, Udhampur

• 8 J&K Girls Battalion NCC

• 9 J&K Girls Battalion NCC

• 1 J&K Naval Unit

The existence and activities of these units are documented through government and institutional sources.

Because the Directorate has undergone recent expansion, a single consolidated, current official public list of every unit and its present sanctioned strength is not readily available in one government source. For that reason, unit-level numbers should be treated separately from the older 10-unit figure rather than simply adding figures without qualification.

How Many Cadets Are in the Directorate?

The most clearly documented Directorate-level figure is 27,870 cadets, which the Ministry of Defence cited in January 2024 before the approved expansion.

The same announcement approved an additional 12,860 cadet capacity, which would represent a substantial increase in the Directorate's enrolment potential.

The Government subsequently confirmed that the four new units had been operationalised.

Therefore, rather than presenting 40,730 as a confirmed current enrolment figure, it is more accurate to describe 12,860 as approved additional capacity, because the official sources do not establish that every one of those additional places was filled at the same time.

This distinction is important when reporting NCC statistics.

NCC's Three Wings in the Region

The NCC is a tri-service youth organisation with:

Army Wing

The Army Wing forms the largest component of NCC activity in the region. Army units operate across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, including newly expanded formations.

Naval Wing

Naval Wing NCC is also represented in the Directorate. For example, the Government Women College Gandhinagar has documented cadets belonging to 1 J&K Naval Unit under the Srinagar Group.

Air Wing

The Air Wing received a major boost through the establishment of an Air Squadron at Udhampur.

The Ministry of Defence described the Udhampur Air Squadron as part of the four-unit expansion approved in 2024 and later confirmed that the Air Wing had been operationalised.

History of NCC in Jammu and Kashmir

The history of NCC in the region goes back to the early years of the organisation.

NCC activity in Jammu and Kashmir was raised in 1954. Historical accounts record that the organisation initially functioned under other NCC formations before becoming an independent NCC Circle.

On 22 October 1960, it became an independent No. 16 NCC Circle (Jammu & Kashmir) with its headquarters at Srinagar. The organisation was subsequently upgraded to a Directorate. The post of Director was upgraded to Brigadier in 1982, redesignated as DDG in 1985, and upgraded to ADG in June 2012.

Following the creation of the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in 2019, the former J&K Directorate was redesignated as the Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh Directorate.

This history reflects how the NCC organisation has adapted alongside major administrative changes in the region.

NCC, Youth and the Geography of the Region

The Directorate's work has particular importance in remote and geographically challenging areas.

NCC activities have been conducted in locations such as Gurez, Kupwara, Kargil and other remote areas, bringing structured youth training to communities that are often far from major urban centres.

In 2021, an NCC training camp was conducted at Dawar in Gurez, with the activity organised under Group Headquarters Srinagar and the J&K & Ladakh Directorate. The camp was notable because NCC was being introduced to border villages in Gurez.

Such initiatives demonstrate how the Directorate's geographical role goes beyond maintaining units in major cities.

Culture and Identity of the Directorate

Few NCC Directorates have a regional identity as geographically and culturally diverse as Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

The Directorate brings together youth from:

• Jammu's Dogra cultural region

• Kashmir's Valley communities

• Ladakh's distinct Himalayan cultural landscape

NCC camps and programmes therefore become platforms not only for military-style training and discipline but also for cultural exchange.

A Special National Integration Camp held in Srinagar in 2016, for example, brought together 400 cadets and Associate NCC Officers from across India. The cultural programme showcased folk dances and group songs associated with Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

This reflects one of NCC's broader objectives: using youth programmes to encourage national integration while allowing different regional cultures to be represented.

Training and Adventure Activities

The region provides a natural setting for adventure-oriented NCC activities.

Cadets can participate in programmes involving:

• Drill

• Physical training

• Leadership development

• Map reading

• Community service

• Disaster management

• Adventure activities

• Trekking

• Mountaineering

• National-level camps

Ladakh's high-altitude environment has also featured in NCC's national adventure programmes. In 2024, NCC conducted a special mountaineering expedition to Mt Kang Yatse in Ladakh.

The Directorate's cadets have also participated in national-level mountaineering and adventure activities. In 2025, cadets from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were part of an NCC Everest expedition that successfully reached the summit.

Republic Day Camp and National Representation

The Directorate regularly sends cadets to the prestigious Republic Day Camp (RDC) in New Delhi.

In RDC 2026, 127 cadets from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh participated, according to the Ministry of Defence.

The Directorate has also produced cadets who have taken leadership roles in the national NCC contingent.

At the 2025 Republic Day Parade, the NCC all-women marching contingent was led by Senior Under Officer Ekta Kumari of the Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh Directorate.

These appearances give cadets from the region exposure to one of the country's most important national ceremonial events.

Notable Cadet Achievements

Cadets from the Directorate have earned recognition at national level.

During the 2025 Republic Day Camp cycle, Junior Under Officer Abida Afreen of the Jammu & Kashmir & Ladakh Directorate received a Raksha Mantri Commendation Card.

Cadets from Ladakh also performed strongly at RDC 2025. The Earth News reported that CSM Tsering Dolker of EJM College, Leh received the DGNCC Medallion, while JUO Abida Afreen received the Raksha Mantri Commendation Card and Stanzin Yangzom attended the 'At Home' function at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

These achievements illustrate the opportunities available to cadets from even the most geographically remote parts of the Directorate.

Zorawar NCC Training Academy

One of the newer developments in the Directorate is the Zorawar NCC Training Academy at Udhampur.

The academy was inaugurated in July 2025 and is intended to provide a dedicated training facility for NCC cadets from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. It was named after General Zorawar Singh, the historic Dogra military figure associated with campaigns in the Himalayan region.

The academy adds another layer to the Directorate's training infrastructure and is particularly significant because of the region's large geographical spread.

Current Leadership of the Directorate

As of 2026, the Additional Director General of the NCC Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh Directorate is Major General Anupinder Bevli, VSM.

He assumed charge of the Directorate in November 2024, succeeding Major General Rajesh Kumar Sachdeva.

The Ladakh Administration also identified Maj Gen Anupinder Bevli, VSM as the Additional Director General of the Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh Directorate during his 2025 visit to Kargil.

Recent 2026 reporting continues to identify him as the Directorate's ADG.

Jammu & Kashmir: Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister

The NCC Directorate should not be confused with the civil administration of the Union Territory.

The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir is Manoj Sinha, while Omar Abdullah is the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir. The official J&K government portal identifies both in these positions.

Omar Abdullah was appointed Chief Minister of the Union Territory on 16 October 2024, according to the J&K Official Gazette.

The NCC Directorate itself remains part of the national NCC structure under the Ministry of Defence; the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister are therefore not part of the Directorate's military command hierarchy.

Ladakh: Lieutenant Governor

Ladakh is a separate Union Territory and does not have a Chief Minister.

As of September 2026, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh is Vinai Kumar Saxena. He took oath as the fourth Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh on 13 March 2026, succeeding Kavinder Gupta.

This is an important distinction when describing the Directorate because the NCC organisation covers both Union Territories, while their civil administrations are separate.

Why the J&K & Ladakh Directorate Is Important

The importance of the Directorate goes beyond the number of cadets or NCC Units it administers.

Its geographical responsibility means that NCC serves young people across:

Jammu → Kashmir → Ladakh

The Directorate provides a common platform where young people from different geographical and cultural backgrounds can participate in structured training, camps, adventure activities, community service and national-level programmes.

Its recent expansion into Udhampur, Kupwara and Kargil, along with the creation of an Air Squadron at Udhampur, shows the continuing effort to make NCC opportunities available to more young people across the region.

From the valleys of Kashmir to the high-altitude landscapes of Ladakh, the Directorate's story is ultimately a story about taking NCC's values of Unity and Discipline to young people across some of India's most diverse terrain.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many NCC Groups are under the Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh Directorate?

The Directorate has two Group Headquarters. The Ministry of Defence confirmed this structure in its 2024 announcement concerning the Directorate's expansion.

How many NCC cadets are in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh?

The Ministry of Defence reported 27,870 cadets in the Directorate before the 2024 expansion. An additional capacity of 12,860 cadets was subsequently approved. The government later confirmed that the four additional units had been operationalised.

How many NCC Units are in the Directorate?

The Directorate had 10 NCC Units when the Ministry of Defence announced the 2024 expansion. Four additional units—three Army Units and one Air Squadron—were subsequently operationalised.

Which Union Territories come under the NCC J&K & Ladakh Directorate?

The Directorate covers the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Who is the current ADG of NCC J&K & Ladakh Directorate?

Major General Anupinder Bevli, VSM is the Additional Director General of the Directorate as of 2026.

When was NCC established in Jammu and Kashmir?

NCC activity in Jammu and Kashmir was raised in 1954. The organisation became an independent No. 16 NCC Circle on 22 October 1960, with headquarters at Srinagar, before being upgraded to a Directorate.

Does Ladakh have its own NCC Directorate?

No. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are served by a combined Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh NCC Directorate. The Directorate operates across both Union Territories.

Which new NCC Units were approved for J&K and Ladakh?

The four approved additions were Army Battalions at Udhampur, Kupwara and Kargil, along with an Air Squadron at Udhampur.

Does the Directorate have an Air Wing?

Yes. An Air Squadron was established at Udhampur as part of the 2024 expansion, and the Ministry of Defence later confirmed that the Air Wing had been operationalised.

What makes NCC in J&K and Ladakh distinctive?

Its most distinctive feature is its geographical spread across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, encompassing plains, valleys, mountains and high-altitude terrain. The Directorate also provides opportunities for cadets from remote areas to participate in national camps, adventure activities and national-level events.

Conclusion

The NCC Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh Directorate occupies a distinctive place within India's NCC network. Its responsibility extends across two Union Territories and three major geographical regions, bringing together cadets from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh under a common framework of discipline, leadership, service and national integration.

Its recent expansion—with new Army Units at Udhampur, Kupwara and Kargil and an Air Squadron at Udhampur—has further widened the reach of NCC in the region.

With two Group Headquarters, a growing network of Units, new training infrastructure such as the Zorawar NCC Training Academy, and regular participation in national events such as the Republic Day Camp, the Directorate continues to provide young people across the region with opportunities that extend far beyond conventional classroom education.

Data note: Figures in this article are presented with their applicable dates because the Directorate has undergone significant expansion since 2024. Where an official current consolidated figure was not available, the article does not treat an older figure or approved capacity as a current enrolment total.