National Cadet Corps Act 1972

National Cadet Corps Act 1972

2020 REVISED EDITION

This revised edition incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 December 2021 and comes into operation on 31 December 2021

An Act to provide for the raising and maintenance of a National Cadet Corps and for matters connected therewith.

[1 April 1973]

Short title

1.  This Act is the National Cadet Corps Act 1972.

Interpretation

2.  In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —

“cadet” means a person enrolled in the Corps under section 8;

“Commandant” means the person for the time being appointed under section 6;

“commanding officer” means an officer for the time being commanding a unit of the Corps;

“Corps” means the National Cadet Corps established under this Act;

“Council” means the National Cadet Corps Council established under section 5;

“member” means any officer or cadet appointed or enrolled in the Corps (as the case may be) and includes a person undergoing an officer cadet course;

“officer” means a person appointed as such by the Minister under section 9;

“permanent resident of Singapore” has the meaning given by section 2 of the Immigration Act 1959;

[Act 31 of 2023 wef 01/12/2025]

“school” has the meaning given by the Education Act 1957;

“Singapore Armed Forces” means the Singapore Armed Forces raised and maintained under the provisions of the Singapore Armed Forces Act 1972.

Raising and maintenance of National Cadet Corps

3.  There is to be raised and maintained in the manner provided in this Act a corps to be known as the National Cadet Corps.

Organisation

4.—(1)  The Corps consist of such headquarters, units, training institutions, services, departments or other like bodies as the Minister may from time to time establish.

(2)  The Corps are to be a unified corps consisting of land, maritime and air divisions and may consist of such numbers of cadets as the Minister may from time to time determine.

(3)  The Corps are to be affiliated to the Singapore Armed Forces for the purposes of training but members of the Corps are not to be members of the Singapore Armed Forces.

(4)  The Minister may disband any unit, training institution, service, department or other body established under subsection (1) in whole or in part or amalgamate any such unit, training institution, service, department or other body or alter the name or title thereof.

Establishment of National Cadet Corps Council

5.—(1)  For the purpose of the administration of matters relating to the Corps, there is established the National Cadet Corps Council consisting of a Chairperson to be appointed by the Minister, a Deputy Chairperson and 2 members to be nominated by the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, and such other members as the Minister may appoint.

[Act 5 of 2025 wef 09/03/2025]

(1A)  An appointment or nomination under subsection (1) must be published in the Gazette.

[Act 5 of 2025 wef 09/03/2025]

(2)  The Council is empowered to delegate any of its functions and powers to any officer of the Singapore Armed Forces or to any officer appointed under this Act.

(3)  The Council may meet at intervals that it thinks fit and may regulate its own procedure.

Appointment of Commandant

6.—(1)  The Minister must, on the recommendation of the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, appoint a Commandant who must exercise executive command of the Corps and who is responsible to the Council in matters of administration affecting the recruitment, promotion, training, conditions of service, finance and discipline of the Corps.

(2)  The Commandant may, from time to time, make general or routine orders, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act or any regulations made under this Act, for the control, direction and information of the Corps that the Commandant thinks fit and it is not necessary to publish such general or routine orders in the Gazette.

(3)  The Council may appoint a Deputy Commandant and so many other Assistant Commandants as the Council may think necessary to assist the Commandant in the general administration of matters relating to the Corps.

Command and affiliation

7.  The Minister may, on the recommendation of the Council, place the Corps or any unit of the Corps under the command of any officer of the Singapore Armed Forces or affiliate any unit to a unit of the Singapore Armed Forces.

Eligibility

8.—(1)  Subject to the provisions of this Act and the regulations made under this Act, any person who is a citizen of Singapore or a permanent resident of Singapore is eligible to be enrolled as a cadet in the Corps.

(2)  The Minister may in special cases approve the enrolment of persons who are neither citizens of Singapore nor permanent residents of Singapore in the Corps.

Appointment of officers, honorary officers and honorary instructors

9.—(1)  The Minister may appoint officers of the Corps from among the teaching staff of any school or from among members of the Corps.

(2)  The Minister may appoint honorary officers to the Corps from among persons whom the Minister thinks fit.

(3)  The Minister may appoint persons who are not members of the Corps who wish to volunteer their services to the Corps as honorary instructors.

(4)  An officer, honorary officer or honorary instructor of the Corps may, with the approval of the Minister, at any time resign from the appointment.

(5)  The Minister may, with or without assigning any reason, revoke the appointment of any officer, honorary officer or honorary instructor.

Secondment of Singapore Armed Forces personnel

10.  The Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence may second a member or members of the Singapore Armed Forces for service in the Corps on a full-time or part-time basis.

Discharge and dismissal

11.—(1)  Subject to the regulations made under this Act, every cadet may be discharged from the Corps on the expiry of the period for which the cadet was enrolled.

(2)  The Commandant may, on the recommendation of the commanding officer, dismiss any cadet.

(3)  In the case of a cadet who is a student of a school, the Commandant must obtain the concurrence of the principal of the school which the cadet is enrolled in, for the dismissal of the cadet.

Disobedience of regulations, standing orders, etc.

12.  Any cadet who —

(a) in such manner as to show wilful defiance of authority, disobeys any lawful command given to the cadet or conveyed to the cadet personally; or

(b) contravenes any order or regulation made under this Act, being an order or a regulation known to the cadet or which the cadet might reasonably be expected to know,

must be dealt with summarily by the cadet’s commanding officer in the manner prescribed by regulations made under this Act.

Punishment

13.  Where a commanding officer deals with a case summarily, the commanding officer may, if the commanding officer records a finding of guilt, impose one or more of the following punishments:

(a) reprimand;

(b) where the cadet holds a rank, reduction in rank;

(c) suspension of membership in the Corps for a period not exceeding 3 months.

Board of inquiry

14.—(1)  If the Commandant has reason to believe that an officer has committed a breach of any order or regulation made under this Act, the Commandant is empowered to convene a board of inquiry to investigate and report on the facts relating to such matter and the board of inquiry shall, if directed to do so, express its opinion on any question arising out of any matter referred to the board.

(2)  A board of inquiry must consist of —

(a) a president who is an officer not below the rank of captain either belonging to the Singapore Armed Forces or appointed under this Act; and

(b) at least 2 other individuals, one of whom must be nominated by the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Education.

(3)  If the board of inquiry is of the opinion that an officer of the Corps is guilty of a breach of any order or regulation made under this Act, it must recommend to the Commandant one or more of the following punishments that should be imposed on the officer:

(a) reprimand;

(b) reduction in rank;

(c) dismissal from the Corps.

Compensation for death or personal injury

15.  It is lawful for the Minister to compensate, in accordance with regulations made under this Act, any member of the Corps or any dependant of the member, for death or personal injury arising out of or in the execution of the member’s duty and which is attributable solely to the discharge of the member’s duty.

Liability

16.—(1)  For the purposes of this section, “member” includes an honorary officer and an honorary instructor appointed under section 9.

(2)  Nothing done or omitted to be done by a member of the Corps while on duty as such shall subject either the member or the Government to liability in tort for causing the death of another person, or for causing personal injury to another person, insofar as the death or personal injury is due to anything suffered by that other person while that other person is a member of the Corps if —

(a) at the time when the thing is suffered by that other person, that other person is —

(i) on duty as a member of the Corps; or

(ii) though not on duty as a member of the Corps, on any land, premises, ship, aircraft or vehicle for the time being used for the purposes of the Corps; and

(b) the Minister certifies that that other person’s suffering that thing has been or will be treated as attributable to service for the purposes of entitlement to compensation under section 15,

except that this subsection does not exempt a member of the Corps from liability in tort in any case in which the court is satisfied that the act or omission was not connected with the execution of his or her duties as a member of the Corps.

(3)  No proceedings in tort shall lie against the Government for death or personal injury due to anything suffered by a member of the Corps if —

(a) that thing is suffered by the member in consequence of the nature or condition of any such land, premises, ship, aircraft or vehicle as is mentioned in subsection (2)(a)(ii), or in consequence of the nature or condition of any equipment or supplies used for the purposes of the Corps; and

(b) the Minister certifies that the member’s suffering that thing has been or will be treated as attributable to service for the purposes of entitlement to compensation under section 15,

nor shall any act or omission of an officer of the Government subject the officer to liability in tort for death or personal injury, insofar as the death or personal injury is due to anything suffered by a member of the Corps if —

(c) at the time when that thing is suffered by that other person, that other person is either on duty as a member of the Corps or is, though not on duty as such, on any land, premises, ship, aircraft or vehicle for the time being used for the purposes of the Corps; and

(d) the Minister certifies that that other person’s suffering that thing has been or will be treated as attributable to service for the purposes of entitlement to compensation under section 15.

(4)  The Minister may, if satisfied that it is a fact —

(a) that a person was or was not on any particular occasion on duty as a member of the Corps; or

(b) that at any particular time any land, premises, ship, aircraft, vehicle, equipment or supplies was or was not, or were or were not, used for the purposes of the Corps,

issue a certificate certifying that to be the fact; and any such certificate is, for the purposes of this section, conclusive as to the fact which it certifies.

Exemptions

17.  Nothing in the Arms Offences Act 1973 and the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958 applies to members of the Corps while on parade or in the course of their duties.

Regulations

18.—(1)  The Council may, with the approval of the Minister, make such regulations as may be necessary or expedient to carry out the provisions of this Act.

(2)  Without limiting subsection (1), the Council may make regulations relating to —

(a) the organisation, control, administration and discipline of the Corps;

(b) training;

(c) the appointment, promotion, advancement or reduction in rank of officers and the termination of services of officers;

(d) the age and other qualifications for cadet membership, promotion, advancement or reduction in rank of cadets and dispensation with the services of cadets;

(e) the payment of allowances;

(f) the award of decorations;

(g) the award of compensation in respect of death or personal injury arising out of or in the execution of duty and which is solely due to and attributable to the discharge of such duty; and

(h) dress.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

National Cadet Corps Act 1972

 

This Legislative History is a service provided by the Law Revision Commission on a best-efforts basis. It is not part of the Act.
Pictorial Overview of Predecessor Acts
Legislative History Details
Part 1 Malayan Air Training Corps Act (Chapter 231, 1970 Revised Edition)
1.	Ordinance 24 of 1949—Malayan Air Training Corps Ordinance, 1949
	Bill	:	G.N. No. S 152/1949
	First Reading	:	12 April 1949
	Second Reading	:	17 May 1949
	Notice of Amendments	:	17 May 1949
	Third Reading	:	17 May 1949
	Commencement	:	14 July 1949
2.	Ordinance 35 of 1950—Malayan Air Training Corps (Amendment) Ordinance, 1950
	Bill	:	G.N. No. S 339/1950
	First Reading	:	15 August 1950
	Second and Third Readings	:	19 September 1950
	Commencement	:	9 October 1950
3.	1955 Revised Edition—Malayan Air Training Corps Ordinance (Chapter 76)
	Operation	:	1 July 1956
4.	G.N. No. S 223/1959—Singapore Constitution (Modification of Laws) Order, 1959
	Commencement	:	3 June 1959
5.	1970 Revised Edition—Malayan Air Training Corps Act (Chapter 231)
	Operation	:	31 July 1971
Part 2 Singapore Sea Cadet Corps Act (Chapter 236, 1970 ReviseD Edition)
6.	Ordinance 3 of 1955—Singapore Sea Cadet Corps Ordinance, 1955
	Bill	:	G.N. No. S 17/1955
	First, Second and Third Readings	:	28 January 1955
	Commencement	:	4 February 1955
7.	1955 Revised Edition—Singapore Sea Cadet Corps Ordinance (Chapter 90)
	Operation	:	1 July 1956
8.	G.N. No. S (N.S.) 177/1959—Singapore Constitution (Modification of Laws) (No. 3) Order, 1959
	Commencement	:	20 November 1959
9.	G.N. No. S (N.S.) 179/1959—Singapore Constitution (Modification of Laws) (No. 5) Order, 1959
	Commencement	:	20 November 1959
10.	1970 Revised Edition—Singapore Sea Cadet Corps Act (Chapter 236)
	Operation	:	31 July 1971
PART 3 NATIONAL CADET CORPS ACT 1972 (2020 REVISED EDITION)
11.	Act 35 of 1972—National Cadet Corps Act, 1972
	Bill	:	24/1972
	First Reading	:	2 June 1972
	Second and Third Readings	:	22 November 1972
	Commencement	:	1 April 1973
12.	1985 Revised Edition—National Cadet Corps Act (Chapter 194)
	Operation	:	30 March 1987
13.	2014 Revised Edition—National Cadet Corps Act (Chapter 194)
	Operation	:	28 February 2014
14.	2020 Revised Edition—National Cadet Corps Act 1972
	Operation	:	31 December 2021
15.	Act 5 of 2025—Electronic Gazette and Legislation Act 2025
	Bill	:	47/2024
	First Reading	:	11 November 2024
	Second and Third Readings	:	7 January 2025
	Commencement	:	9 March 2025
16.	Act 31 of 2023—Immigration (Amendment) Act 2023
	(Amendments made by the above Act)
	Bill	:	26/2023
	First Reading	:	2 August 2023
	Second and Third Readings	:	18 September 2023
	Commencement	:	1 December 2025

Abbreviations

	(updated on 29 August 2022)
G.N.	Gazette Notification
G.N. Sp.	Gazette Notification (Special Supplement)
L.A.	Legislative Assembly
L.N.	Legal Notification (Federal/Malaysian)
M.	Malaya/Malaysia (including Federated Malay States, Malayan Union, Federation of Malaya and Federation of Malaysia)
Parl.	Parliament
S	Subsidiary Legislation
S.I.	Statutory Instrument (United Kingdom)
S (N.S.)	Subsidiary Legislation (New Series)
S.S.G.G.	Straits Settlements Government Gazette
S.S.G.G. (E)	Straits Settlements Government Gazette (Extraordinary)

COMPARATIVE TABLE

National Cadet Corps Act 1972

This Act has undergone renumbering in the 2020 Revised Edition. This Comparative Table is provided to help readers locate the corresponding provisions in the last Revised Edition.

2020 Ed.	2014 Ed.
[Deleted as spent]	19