What is the CATC
The Combined Annual Training Camp (CATC) is the residential training camp run by your NCC unit (or jointly with one or two other units) once a year. It is mandatory for certificate eligibility at every level — without the CATC certificate, your name will not be forwarded for the A, B, or C exam.
Duration is typically 9 to 12 days. The camp is run inside a designated camp site — often a school, a college campus, an Army cantonment training area, or an NCC-owned facility — with strict daily routine, all-meals provided, and supervised training under serving Armed Forces officers, the ANOs, and senior cadets.
What a typical day looks like
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 0530 | Wake-up |
| 0545–0645 | Physical Training (PT) — calisthenics, running, basic strength work |
| 0700–0800 | Breakfast |
| 0830–1230 | Morning training — drill, weapon handling, map reading, theory classes |
| 1300–1400 | Lunch |
| 1500–1800 | Afternoon training — sport, adventure activities, field exercises |
| 1900–2000 | Dinner |
| 2030–2130 | Cultural / theory evening session |
| 2200 | Lights out |
Day 1 is intake and orientation; day 2 onward follows the routine. The final two days include a competition / display and the parade. The pace is high; sleep matters.
Packing list
Uniform & kit
- 2 complete uniforms (so one can be aired/washed while the other is worn)
- DMS boots, polished, with 2 extra pairs of laces
- 2 PT kits (white T-shirt and shorts in most units) for morning exercise
- Boot brush and polish (paste + liquid)
- Brass polish
- Hangers (5–6)
Personal
- 2 sets of casuals for off-parade evenings
- Underwear and socks for the full camp + 2 spare
- Bath towel, hand towel
- Toiletries: soap, shampoo (small bottles), toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, deodorant, sanitary products
- Slippers / chappals for use in the dormitory and bathroom only
- Cap with NCC badge
Bedding (confirm with your ANO — some camps provide, some don’t)
- Mattress / mat
- Bedsheet
- Pillow with cover
- 1 light blanket (always carry; nights can be cold even in summer)
Documents
- NCC ID card / unit issue slip
- Photo ID copy
- Medical certificate (if your unit requires)
- Cash in small denominations (₹300–₹500 for canteen / emergencies; don’t carry large amounts)
- Phone (with charger) — expect strict limits on usage during training hours; some camps deposit phones at intake and return them at lights-out
Stationery
- 2 notebooks
- 4 pens (you will lose 2)
- A small pocket notebook for field notes
Miscellaneous
- Water bottle (1 litre, sturdy)
- Personal medication if any (with prescription)
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen (especially if you’re fair-skinned)
- A small mirror (for boot polishing and uniform check)
- Sewing kit (small — needles, thread, safety pins; you’ll need it on day 3)
Don’t carry
- Expensive watches or jewellery
- Headphones / earbuds (most camps prohibit during training hours)
- Sweets / chocolates in large quantities (attract ants; share or finish quickly)
- Non-prescription anything
Fitness preparation — the four weeks before
PT at CATC is at a higher tempo than weekly parades. Cadets who arrive un-prepared experience day-2 muscle soreness that affects their entire camp.
A simple ramp-up:
Week 4 (4 weeks before camp)
- 3 sessions of 20-minute jog + 10 minutes calisthenics (push-ups, squats, sit-ups).
Week 3
- 3 sessions of 25-minute jog + 15 minutes calisthenics.
Week 2
- 4 sessions of 30-minute jog + 20 minutes calisthenics.
Week 1
- 2 sessions of 30-minute jog (taper).
- 1 rest day immediately before camp.
Hydration: drink 2.5–3 litres of water a day in the week before camp.
What to expect mentally
First-time cadets often find the first three nights the hardest. The dormitory is shared, the routine is rigid, communication with home is limited, and homesickness is real. Three things help:
- Get the kit ready before sleep. Polish boots, lay out uniform, pack PT kit. Mornings are very short.
- Befriend at least three cadets in the first 24 hours. Camp friendships form fast and they’ll carry you through the harder days.
- The day-4 inflection. Around day 4 the routine starts to feel normal. Most cadets describe enjoying the rest of camp from there.
Discipline rules to internalise
- Always wear correct uniform outside the dormitory.
- Never be in the wrong dormitory (boys / girls) — this is a serious disciplinary breach.
- Greet officers with a smart salute (in uniform) or "good morning Sir/Ma’am" (in casuals).
- Don’t use mobile phones during training hours.
- No personal music at parade.
- Lights out means lights out. Talking after lights-out is the most common camp infraction.
Post-camp
You’ll come back fitter, browner, more tired, and slightly different. Take a day off school if your unit allows. Decompress. Then come back to weekly parade with the bearing you picked up at camp — your unit will notice immediately.
Most importantly: collect your CATC certificate from the unit office. Keep the original safe. You’ll need it for the A/B/C exam forwarding and for any subsequent recruitment.
This article is general guidance based on publicly available material from the Directorate General NCC, the National Cadet Corps Act 1948, the NCC Cadet Handbook, and standard NCC training literature. Specific eligibility, syllabus, camp counts, exam patterns, and recruitment rules change with each training directive and each recruitment notification — always confirm current specifics with your unit Associate NCC Officer (ANO) and the official portal of the relevant recruiting body. VSVSV is a private learning platform; it is not affiliated with the National Cadet Corps, the Directorate General NCC, the Ministry of Defence, or any government body.