WHY NATIONAL DEFENCE ACADEMY NEEDS TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY

Date:- 04 November 2026

“Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.” — Louis D. Brandeis

The National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, occupies a special place in the hearts of thousands of military veterans and generations of Indians who have aspired to wear the uniform. For those of us fortunate enough to have passed through its portals, NDA is much more than an educational institution. It is where our formative years were spent, friendships were forged, values were acquired and the foundations of our military careers were laid. It remains our alma mater, a source of lifelong pride and an enduring bond.

For over seven decades, NDA has contributed immensely to the leadership of the Indian Armed Forces. Its alumni have commanded formations, led men in war and peace, occupied the highest military appointments and brought honour to the nation. Few institutions in India can claim such a distinguished legacy.

It is precisely because of this affection and pride that I believe NDA must continually strive to rise higher. Its reputation should not rest merely on its illustrious past or the achievements of its alumni. It must also be reflected in its present performance, its institutional practices and its ability to prepare leaders for the India of tomorrow.

There is one relatively simple but important reform that could help the Academy achieve this: a system of periodic public disclosure of its institutional performance through comprehensive annual reports and independent assessments.

This is not a demand for unrestricted access to a military establishment or disclosure of sensitive information. It is a call for greater institutional transparency, public engagement and accountability.

The culture of concealment

During our early training at NDA, most of us were introduced to camouflage and concealment. Instructors often used the humorous observation that a fashion model dresses to reveal, whereas a soldier dresses to conceal. It was an appropriate lesson for military operations. Concealment is essential to survival and success on the battlefield.

However, there is a distinction between concealing military capabilities from an adversary and concealing institutional functioning from the society that sustains the institution.

Military organisations understandably maintain confidentiality regarding operational plans, intelligence, security arrangements, defence preparedness and classified technologies. But academic performance, training philosophy, leadership development, cadet welfare, attrition rates, faculty quality, sports achievements and institutional assessments are entirely different matters.

Why should these aspects remain largely inaccessible to the public?

NDA is often perceived as an institution behind high walls, not only physically but also in terms of information. Public visits are restricted and largely confined to organised tours and occasions such as the Passing Out Parade. Information about its internal functioning, training outcomes and institutional performance is not readily available.

A secure military establishment is understandable. An unnecessarily opaque public institution is not.

Operational secrecy is essential to national security; institutional secrecy should not become an obstacle to institutional excellence.

A public institution owes the nation accountability

NDA is sustained by public resources. The nation's investment extends far beyond buildings, classrooms, laboratories, sports facilities and training equipment. It includes the cost of identifying, selecting, educating and developing young people into future military leaders.

Thousands of aspirants prepare for the NDA entrance examination and the subsequent selection process. Their families invest considerable time, money and emotional commitment in this ambition. The Government, in turn, invests substantial public resources in those who are selected.

The public therefore has a legitimate interest in understanding how effectively this investment is being utilised.

Universities publish annual reports. Public sector organisations disclose their performance. Educational institutions undergo accreditation and periodic reviews. Even private institutions increasingly recognise that credibility depends on demonstrable outcomes.

Why should India's premier military leadership academy be different?

Publishing institutional performance is not an admission of weakness. It is a demonstration of confidence. A great institution should be willing to examine itself, acknowledge shortcomings and explain the corrective measures being undertaken.

Learning from West Point

The United States Military Academy at West Point offers a useful example.

West Point has a tradition of publishing institutional information through its Superintendent's reports, academic publications and other institutional documents. More importantly, it has a statutory Board of Visitors, comprising members of the US Congress and presidential appointees, which periodically examines the Academy.

Its mandate includes examining morale and discipline, curriculum, instruction, academic methods, physical facilities and financial affairs. The Board submits reports containing observations and recommendations to the President and the Congressional Armed Services Committees.

This is significant because institutional evaluation is not left entirely to the Academy itself.

West Point has demonstrated that a military institution can maintain strict operational security while sharing substantial information about its academic standards, institutional functioning and performance.

NDA need not copy the American model. Our military traditions, organisational requirements and national circumstances are different. However, we should be willing to adopt practices that promote institutional excellence.

The principle is simple: transparency and military professionalism are not contradictory.

What should NDA publish?

NDA should introduce a comprehensive Annual Institutional Report, freely accessible on its official website. This should not be a glossy publicity document celebrating achievements alone. It should provide credible information about the Academy's functioning, performance and future priorities.

I would suggest that the report cover the following areas:

1. Cadet intake and attrition: Number of applicants, admissions, service-wise and gender-wise intake, successful completions, voluntary withdrawals, medical withdrawals, disciplinary terminations and overall attrition trends. Understanding why cadets leave is as important as knowing how many graduate.

2. Academic performance: Examination results, pass percentages, distinctions, subject-wise trends, faculty qualifications, research activities, academic collaborations and opportunities for higher education. NDA is an academic institution as well as a military training establishment.

3. Military training and leadership development: Broad training philosophy, leadership development framework, character-building initiatives, ethical leadership programmes and methods of assessing initiative, responsibility, teamwork, decision-making and moral courage. If NDA claims to be the cradle of military leadership, it should explain how leadership is developed and assessed.

4. Physical fitness and sports: Fitness benchmarks, sporting achievements, national-level representation, adventure activities, injury prevention and human performance initiatives. These are important indicators of the holistic development of cadets.

5. Cadet welfare: Accommodation, food, medical facilities, counselling, mentoring, recreational facilities and grievance-redressal mechanisms. Parents and prospective candidates would benefit from understanding the support systems available within the Academy.

6. Infrastructure and financial accountability: Broad details of expenditure, modernisation, infrastructure development, technology upgrades and utilisation of public resources, without disclosing classified procurement or sensitive security details.

7. Alumni outcomes: Aggregated information on commissioning, performance at subsequent service academies, professional qualifications, distinguished service, gallantry awards and significant leadership appointments. The long-term contribution of graduates is an important indicator of institutional effectiveness.

These disclosures would enable the public to understand NDA beyond its impressive buildings, traditions, ceremonial displays and Passing Out Parades.

Independent assessment: The missing link

Annual reporting alone will not be sufficient. NDA should also institute an independent institutional review every five years.

A panel comprising distinguished military veterans, military education specialists, leadership scholars, management experts, behavioural scientists and higher education professionals could examine the Academy's curriculum, training methodology, leadership development model, academic standards and cadet welfare.

The panel's principal findings, recommendations and the Academy's action-taken report should be made public, subject to necessary security restrictions.

Such an exercise should not be regarded as an inspection to find fault. It should be an opportunity to benchmark NDA against leading military academies and contemporary educational institutions.

No institution, however distinguished, should become the sole judge of its own performance.

Transparency can attract better talent

There is another compelling reason for NDA to embrace greater transparency: the changing aspirations of India's youth.

Today's generation has opportunities that were largely unavailable to previous generations. Technology, entrepreneurship, higher education, international careers and the private sector compete for the attention of talented young Indians.

Patriotism, family tradition and the prestige of the uniform remain important motivations for joining the armed forces. However, young aspirants and their parents increasingly seek information before making major career decisions.

They want to understand the quality of education, professional opportunities, career progression, training environment and institutional support systems.

A prospective cadet would reasonably like to know what academic standards NDA maintains, how leadership qualities are developed, what proportion of cadets successfully complete training and what opportunities exist after commissioning.

The Academy should be able to answer these questions through credible institutional information rather than relying exclusively on promotional material and inspirational narratives.

An institution confident of its standards should have no hesitation in sharing its achievements as well as its challenges.

Indeed, acknowledging shortcomings and demonstrating corrective action can inspire greater confidence than projecting an image of institutional perfection.

Transparency can become a recruitment advantage. It can help NDA attract not merely more applicants, but better-informed and genuinely motivated talent.

Opening minds without opening security gates

Greater transparency does not mean unrestricted access to a military establishment. NDA must remain a secure campus and its security arrangements must remain uncompromised.

However, there is considerable scope for greater public engagement.

Educational visits for prospective candidates, parents, universities, researchers and military veterans could be expanded within defined security arrangements. The Academy could organise leadership seminars, academic conferences, research collaborations and interactions with leading educational and management institutions.

NDA has accumulated enormous experience in developing young leaders. Its training philosophy deserves wider academic examination and intellectual engagement. Greater interaction with civil society would also help bridge the gap between the armed forces and the citizens they serve.

Let us raise the standing of our alma mater

As a retired military officer and an alumnus of NDA, I make this suggestion with deep affection and pride for my alma mater. This is not a criticism of its past or of those who presently serve it. It is a belief that an institution of such stature must never become complacent about its achievements.

The world has changed dramatically since NDA was established in 1954. The character of warfare, technology, education, society and leadership has evolved. An institution preparing future military leaders must continuously examine whether its systems and practices are keeping pace with these changes.

NDA deserves a place among the world's most respected military leadership institutions. But that standing should be established not merely through its history, traditions and distinguished alumni. It should also be demonstrated through the quality of its education, the effectiveness of its training, the development of its cadets and its willingness to subject itself to informed evaluation.

The Academy's leadership should take the initiative to introduce annual public disclosures, periodic independent assessments and greater engagement with society.

Let NDA publish its achievements and acknowledge its shortcomings. Let independent experts examine its training and leadership development model. Let researchers study its institutional practices. Let aspiring young Indians and their parents understand what this great institution offers.

The objective is not to make NDA less military. It is to make it an even stronger military institution.

Our alma mater has earned its place in India's military history. It must now take the next step to earn an even greater place in the public imagination.

A great institution does not protect its prestige by withholding information. It strengthens its prestige by demonstrating excellence.

Let there be light!

Sunlight does not weaken a great institution. It validates it.

---

NOTE - The contents of this article contains the author's personal views based on his study , research and experience of the subject and linked issues .The pictures are for symbolic representation only .