Ninteen years after it set the curriculum and training pattern in 1987, the National Defence Academy (NDA) is ready with a new course to address the changing needs of the defence services. The module will include anti-terrorism operations to humanitarian law and would be integrated in the curriculum from this year’s autumn term.

‘‘The lesson we learnt from Kargil was that we had lost focus of basics. The basics need to be taught right and we will emphasise on them,’’ NDA Commandant Lt Gen A K Chopra said. The last time the NDA set its curriculum was in 1987, just before insurgency in Kashmir.

For starters, all cadets will take a course on ‘International Law of Armed Conflict’ that would also deal with Geneva conventions to get acquainted with martial law. ‘‘While conducting anti-terrorism operations, officers need to know the rules. This helps to minimise collateral damage and harassment of innocents,’’ Chopra said.

The new curriculum will lay greater emphasis on the art of field craft — making use of the ground for cover, moving in different kinds of terrain, map reading and use of weapons. The training of gentlemen cadets would also be raised from the current section level to platoon level. Besides, the curriculum also caters to specific training requirements and service-based training will be given priority in the final two terms.

For the Army cadets, subjects like telecommunication, vehicle technology and armament technology have been introduced, Naval cadets will take up courses like navigation and chart reading and Air Force cadets will learn avionics and air sciences.

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