Genesis of scouting in the world:

The Boy Scout Movement took a start in the United Kingdom when Lord Baden Powell (Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden Powell) organised a Scout Camp on Brownsea Island on 1907 and the 'Scouting for Boys' was published in 1908. The movement spread quickly in United Kingdom and other countries of the world.

Scouting / Guiding in India before 1950:

The first Scout Troop in India, consisting entirely of Indian Boys, was formed by a Scottish Missionary, in the then Central Provinces (present Madhya Pradesh) in 1908. However, the troop was disbanded in 1910. The common confirmed date, however, for the start of Scouting in India is 1909, when three troops for British boys were started at Bangalore, Kirkee and Jabalpur.

This list of three Scout Troops increased to nine different boy Scout Organisations in early 1911 in Shimla, Calcutta, Jabalpur, Allahabad, Bangalore, Poona, Kirkee, Saidpur and Madras (present Chennai). Efforts to induct Indian boys to Scouts did not materialise till Montague and Chelmsford appeared on the scene as secretary of State for India and Viceroy of India respectively in 1917.

The Girl Guide movement got a start in India is Jabalpur (M.P.) In 1911. It expanded enormously. There were about 50 girl guide companies with a membership of over 1200 by 1915. There companies were directly registered with imperial scout headquarters, London, like other Scout organisation. But an All India Girl Guides Association was formed in 1916. Girl Guiding was restricted to British Girls till 1916.

The Number of boy scouts increased as follows:

It may be worth mentioning that Lord Baden Powell wrote a book specially for Indian Boys entitled "Scouting for boys in India".

Unification of scouting and guiding:

There were scattered organisations during the pre-independent era. However, the serious efforts made by leaders like Pdt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, first Prime Minister of India, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the then Education Minister, Govt. of India, Mr. Pakwasa, the then Governor of C.P. and Scout Leaders like Dr. H. N. Kunzru, PDT Sri Ram Bajpai, Justice Vivian Bose and Mr. Mangal Das Pakwas, Governor of Berar (modern M.P.) Among others that the final merger took place on 7th Novembers 1950 under the name of the Bharat Scouts & Guides.

The names of the National Commissioners of the Bharat Scouts & Guides since its inception are:

The Bharat Scouts & Guides was housed in small rooms in Regal Building, Connaught Place, New Delhi. It shifted to its new building at 16, Mahatama Gandhi Marg, New Delhi in the year 1963 - 64.

The Bharat Scouts & Guides has extended since 1950 enormously in quantitative and qualitative terms.

The growth of census has been as follows: