The All India Police Science Congress held in Dehradun in 2011, recommended for nationwide roll out of the Student Police Cadet (SPC) Programme. The Government of India identified it as an important component of community policing and launched it nationwide on July 21, 2018. The SPC is a school-based character and capacity building programme for the students of 7th, 8th and 9th standard to help them evolve as responsible and capable citizens of a democratic society. It imparts values to the school going students to make them responsible citizens. The programme intends to create a robust interface between police and school going students through involvement of volunteer police officers and teachers in schools for peace and public safety.
India has one of the biggest youth populations in the world. Today, one third of our population is less than 14 years of age. By 2030, over half of India’s population will be less than 32 years of age. Therefore, it is important for the police who engage the school going children.
The programme visualizes to address the issues such as deviant behavior, substance abuse and heinous crimes by children, faced by the children and their guardians. The vision of the programme is to strengthen the governance framework of the country by inculcating respect for the constitutional principles of justice, equality, secularism, and liberty among the students. It would also enhance respect and pride for democratic traditions and the rule of law, encourage the spirit of 'India First', and minimize sectarian divisions. The programme also encourages students to respect and follow the law voluntarily, practice responsible behavior, empathize with weaker sections of society, participate in tackling community issues and resist threats to the environment.
The long-term vision of the programme is the development of a just and humane community throughout India, wherein citizens of all genders respect and follow the law voluntarily, practice responsible behavior, empathize with weaker sections of society, participate in tackling community issues and resist threats to the environment.