For the first time, an NCC girls' unit of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) presented a guard of honour to Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar on Sunday during the Republic Day celebrations on the campus, with the VC saying it sends out a larger message of "unity and discipline".

Kumar said that they hope to establish a boys unit of National Cadet Corps unit also at the JNU. The JNU has been rocked by a series of controversies over the past year, including a students' agitation against fee issue, amid a tussle between the Left-dominated students union and the varsity administration.

After the January 5 attack by masked men on students and teachers, the JNUSU has been demanding Kumar's resignation. While the VC presided over the function at the administration block, the Republic Day was also celebrated and the tricolour unfurled at Sabarmati and Periyar hostels by students who distributed sweets.

The celebrations passed off peacefully on the campus. "The guard of honour by 15 girl NCC cadets during Republic Day Celebrations in the JNU is not only significant for us as a University, but also it sends out a larger message of unity and discipline. We are proud of our cadets and we hope to establish a boys NCC unit also at JNU," the VC tweeted later in the afternoon.

JNU's '3 Delhi Girls Battalion' NCC cadets are a pride of JNU. They performed a well executed guard of honour during the Republic Day Celebrations at JNU. A memorable event for all of us during the Golden Jubilee year of JNU. "We met the 15 girl NCC cadets along with the officers after their well executed guard of honour during Republic Day Celebrations at JNU. You are the motivation to all of us," he said on Twitter.