Kuala lumpur: Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) will be the first public university to implement the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0, with the programme scheduled to commence in mid-2026, establishing UPSI as the pioneering institution for this initiative.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, National Service Training Department (JLKN) director-general, Major General (R) Datuk Ya’cob Samiran, stated that the programme would also expand to three polytechnics and Teacher Education Institutes nationwide next year. The initiative is supported by a RM250 million allocation under the 2026 Budget, which will fund the pilot phase before being rolled out to all public universities (IPTAs) by 2027.
Ya’cob mentioned plans to start at UPSI in June or July next year, as he addressed reporters after attending the PLKN 3.0 Female Shooting Training Session, Series 3/2025, at Perdana Camp, Sungai Besi. He highlighted that the PLKN 3.0 module would be integrated into the curriculum as a compulsory subject for new students enrolling in IPTAs from the following year.
For students enrolling from next year or those born after 2008, participation in the programme will be mandatory as part of their academic requirements, particularly under the nationhood subject. However, students who have previously participated in military programmes such as the Officer Training Reserve Corps (OTRC) will be exempt from the basic military training module.
Ya’cob added that PLKN 3.0 would focus on three key modules: nationhood, leadership, and basic military training to foster a strong sense of patriotism and national responsibility among youth. These modules are designed to instill national pride, leadership skills, and an understanding of basic military principles, contributing to the development of responsible citizens.
The first session of PLKN 3.0 for 2026 is set to run from January to March, involving trainees aged 17 to 25, selected through a computerised ballot or on a voluntary basis. Additionally, Ya’cob announced that 11 PLKN camps would be operational nationwide in 2026, including a new camp at Syed Sirajuddin Camp in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan, with two more camps planned to open in 2027.