The Passing out Parade of the John B. Cull Challenge Trophy Junior Cadet National Camp 2026, organized by the National Cadet Corps (NCC), was held with pride and grandeur at the National Cadet Corps Training Centre in Rantembe on 02 November 2026.
The event was held under the guidance of the Director of the National Cadet Corps, Major General AKCS de Silva RSP ndc. The Commander of the Security Forces (Central) of Sri Lanka Army and the Colonel of the Regiment of Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment, Major General AMC Abeykoon RWP RSP USP ndc, attended the occasion as the Chief Guest.
Carrying forward the proud legacy of the Sri Lankan Cadet Movement, which boasts a distinguished history spanning 145 years, the National Camp brought together 59 boys’ and girls’ cadet platoons representing 30 battalions from across the country.
Throughout the camp, special emphasis was placed on developing the cadets’ discipline, leadership, teamwork, cooperation and ability to overcome challenges through a series of training activities and assessments.
The Passing out Parade was commanded by the Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion of the National Cadet Corps, Lieutenant Colonel Mahesh Inimankada, and Major Nishantha Dombagahage, Adjutant of the 4th Battalion, Kurunegala, Was as the Second in Command.
The parade was accompanied by the musical performance of the Western Band of St. Thomas’ College, Matale, representing the 13th Battalion of the National Cadet Corps, which was the runner-up of Boys’ All Island Western Band National Competition 2026.
During the final assessments of the camp, cadet platoons that demonstrated outstanding performance were recognized, and trophies and awards were presented to the winners.
Accordingly, in the Girls’ Category, Panadura Balika Maha Vidyalaya, representing the 12th Battalion, secured the championship with 821.00 points. Anuradhapura Central College, representing the 5th Battalion, emerged as the runner-up with 766.07 points, while Debarawewa Central College, representing the 24th Battalion, secured third place with 757.70 points.
In the Boys’ Category, Gampaha Bandaranayake College, representing the 7th Battalion, won the championship with 855.80 points. Dhammissara National School, Nattandiya, representing the 35th Battalion, secured the runner-up position with 817.30 points, while Dharmapala Maha Vidyalaya, Bandarawela, representing the 6th Battalion, secured third place with 793.60 points.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Guest highlighted that junior cadets who successfully complete their cadet training possess valuable experiences and skills that distinguish them from other schoolchildren. He further emphasized that camp experiences help develop essential qualities such as punctuality, teamwork, harmony, the ability to accept both victory and defeat with equal composure, discipline, self-control and an active approach to responsibilities.
He also noted that these qualities would greatly contribute to the cadets’ future educational achievements and help them build successful lives.
Organizing national-level camps of this nature provides a valuable opportunity to identify the inherent talents of school cadets while fostering discipline, responsibility, leadership and a sense of national pride among them.
Thus, the 2026 John B. Cull Challenge Trophy National Camp made a significant contribution towards further strengthening the mission of the National Cadet Corps to nurture disciplined, responsible and resilient future citizens.
