A mock drill in India, officially known as the Civil Defence Mock Drill, will begin on May 7, 2025, and may continue until May 9, 2025. This is the first time since the 1971 war that such a large-scale mock drill will be conducted nationwide, covering over 244 districts. The announcement of this civil defence exercise comes in the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. Read on to learn what a mock drill is and how it will be conducted.
A mock drill is a practice exercise. It helps people and officials prepare for emergencies. In simple words, it is a rehearsal of a real-life disaster situation. It could be for fire, earthquake, chemical leakage, flood, or war. During a mock drill, teams like NDRF, SDRF, police, fire services, and medical staff take part. Schools, colleges, offices, and public spaces also conduct these drills. The drill shows the right steps to take in such events and how ready a system is to face emergency situations such as War.
The main purpose of a mock drill in India is to prepare and test the emergency response system. It evaluates how people, systems, and authorities respond in real-time situations. The drill also helps identify gaps and address them before any real disaster occurs. The 2025 Civil Defence Mock Drill is being conducted with the following objectives:
India's nationwide Civil Defence Mock Drill is set to take place on May 7, 2025. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has instructed all states and union territories to carry out the exercise across 244 designated civil defence districts, extending activities down to the village level. The closing date of the mock drill in India is likely to be May 9, 2025.
Following the exercise, each state and union territory is required to submit an "Action Taken Report" detailing the execution, observed response challenges, and suggestions for future improvements.
In an effort to strengthen national preparedness against emergencies and hostile threats, the Civil Defence Mock Drill will be coordinated by the Ministry of Home Affairs across 244 identified districts. Here is an quick summary of the details related to mock drill in India:
Civil Defence Mock Drill Details Summary | |
Date | May 7, 2025 |
Organiser | Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India |
Coverage | 244 districts, 250+ locations, 33 states and union territories |
Main Participants | District authorities, Home Guards, Civil Defence Wardens, NCC, NSS, NYKS, students |
Key Activities | Air raid sirens, blackout drills, evacuation rehearsals, camouflage exercises, civil defence training |
Objectives | Assess civil defence preparedness, test warning systems, train civilians, update emergency protocols |
Reporting | States/UTs to submit "Action Taken Report" post-drill |
Special Focus | Vulnerable areas, schools, colleges, vital installations, public awareness |
India’s mock drill will be conducted across 244 districts, which are selected based on following criteria:
West Bengal (32 districts)
Kolkata
Howrah
North 24 Parganas
South 24 Parganas
Hooghly
Murshidabad
Nadia
Purulia
Birbhum
Maldah
Cooch Behar
Jalpaiguri
Uttar Dinajpur
Dakshin Dinajpur
Alipurduar
Bankura
Paschim Medinipur
Purba Medinipur
Koch Bihar
Darjeeling
South Dinajpur
Murshidabad
Bardhaman
Alipurduar
Dooars
Sealdah
Siliguri
Burdwan
Jhargram
Nayagram
Raiganj
Sagar
Rajasthan (28 districts)
Jaipur
Jodhpur
Udaipur
Ajmer
Kota
Bikaner
Churu
Nagaur
Sikar
Pali
Barmer
Alwar
Banswara
Sawai Madhopur
Rajsamand
Jhalawar
Tonk
Dholpur
Dungarpur
Bundi
Jhunjhunu
Jaisalmer
Chittorgarh
Karauli
Bhilwara
Baran
Hanumangarh
Sirohi
Assam (20 districts)
Guwahati
Dibrugarh
Jorhat
Tinsukia
Nagaon
Karimganj
Bongaigaon
Sivasagar
Goalpara
Sonitpur
Cachar
Kamrup
Barpeta
Lakhimpur
Morigaon
Darrang
Baksa
Udalguri
Chirang
Kokrajhar
Punjab (20 districts)
Chandigarh
Ludhiana
Amritsar
Patiala
Jalandhar
Bathinda
Sangrur
Hoshiarpur
Firozpur
Faridkot
Mansa
Muktsar
Rupnagar
Fatehgarh Sahib
Moga
Kapurthala
Barnala
Sri Muktsar Sahib
Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar
Tarn Taran
Jammu & Kashmir (20 districts)
Srinagar
Jammu
Anantnag
Pulwama
Baramulla
Kupwara
Rajouri
Poonch
Kathua
Udhampur
Reasi
Doda
Kishtwar
Ramban
Jammu
Shopian
Samba
Kulgam
Poonch
Udhampur
During a civil defence mock drill, many steps are followed. The goal is to create a realistic situation without causing panic. The mock drill in India will follow a set protocol in the circular released by the MHA:
Each step is planned and monitored by officials with a clear assigned role, such as:
The key measures and protocols to be followed include:
Following the drill, each state and union territory is required to submit an "Action Taken Report" outlining the exercise, highlighting any gaps, and providing suggestions for enhancements.
To sum up, the mock drill in India is the need of the hour in light of rising security threats, as it strengthens emergency preparedness, enhances coordination among agencies, and builds public awareness to effectively respond to potential crises.
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