The history of the NCC dates as far back as May 1901 when Mr. C M. Philips, the acting Principal of Raffles Institution formed a cadet corps which comprised of existing and ex-Rafflesians. The Straits Times of 16th May 1901 reported that "between eighty and ninety youths, about one-third of whom are ex-Rafflesians attended drill practices on the Raffles School ground when they were put through some simple movements.

    By 1905, Raffles Institution Cadet Corps had an armoury and a cadet band. One of the cadets to join the RINCC was none other than our Republic's first President, Inche Yusof bin Ishak. Cadet Yusof bin Ishak who had joined the corps earlier, and became a corporal in 1927, was made a CSM in 1929 and had the distinction of becoming one of the first students to be commissioned as a Cadet 2nd Lieutenant in 1930.

    The usefulness of the military training became apparent during outbreak of the Second World War. A large number of cadets from Raffles Institution joined the SVC and fought against the Japanese troops in the defense of Singapore.