In a significant moment for Indian women defence personnel, the Central Government told the Supreme Court, on 8 September 2021, that a decision had been taken to allow the induction of women for permanent commission into the Armed Forces through the National Defence Academy (NDA).
The court was hearing the plea seeking to allow women to take part in the NDA exams. The Bench asked ASG to place on record the developments through an affidavit. Earlier, the top court had in an interim order allowed women to take the NDA exam which was scheduled for September 5, and had also slammed the Indian Army for the decisions that are based on ‘gender discrimination’.
The plea filed by advocate Kush Kalra stated that denial of opportunity to women candidates to enroll at the NDA was violative of Articles 14, 15, 16, and 19 of the Constitution. The petition was filed in light of the directions issued by the top court on the extension of Permanent Commission to Short Service Commissioned women officers of the Indian Army.
“After the passing of the judgment in the matter of Secretary, Ministry of Defence vs Babita Puniya by this Court, Permanent Commission has been extended to the Women Officers of the Army. However, there is still no mode of entry available to female candidates to join the Armed Forces as Permanent Commission Officers. In the present state of affairs, female candidates have to apply through the appropriate mode of entry into the Armed Forces as a Short Service Commissioned Officer and after serving for a certain period of time, have the option to opt for Permanent Commission,” the plea said.
“The government allows unmarried male candidates having adequate 10 2 qualification to take the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination, however, eligible and willing female candidates are not allowed to take this Examination on the sole ground of their sex and without any reasonable or justifiable explanations,” the petitioner contended.
Ministry’s Plan
Entrance exams for entry into the NDA are held twice a year and the government proposes to have the necessary mechanism in place for induction of women candidates by May, 2022. That is the time by which UPSC is expected to publish its first notification for the entrance exam.
The three service chiefs visited the NDA on August 20 to take stock of the situation and prepare the academy for the arrival of women as trainees on its premises.
Medical standards for women candidates are in the process of formulation.
Aspects of physical training that the women candidates will have to undergo are required to be formulated separately. Curriculum and parameters regarding drills, equitation, swimming, games, sports etc will have to be formulated separately for women.
Any dilution of physical training for the women candidates on parameters such as firing, endurance training, living off the land etc would invariably impact the battle-worthiness of the Armed Forces adversely.
One key facet of accommodation of women candidates has to be the robust physical separation between the male and female residential areas. The number of cabins for women candidates (catering to increase in nos. each term) will have to be expanded till a permanent plan fructifies.
Security and privacy arrangements, physical segregation of living quarters, associated physical and electronic surveillance like women orderlies, women duty officers etc will have to be worked out.
Gynaecologists, sports medicine specialists, counsellors, nursing staff, lady attendants will be required to be posted at the Military Hospital, Khadakwasla. The capacity of officers’ family wards will also have to be increased.
A study group comprising of experts has been constituted to expeditiously formulate a curriculum for women cadets and a Board of Officers has been convened to give a ‘holistic and future proposal’ for training women candidates at the NDA.
Comments
The first batch of women officers was given commission in the Navy in 1992. It has taken close to 30 years for women to be given direct permanent commission.
To understand what gaining entry into the defence services through the NDA means, a look at the various options for entry would be pertinent. The NDA recruits personnel right after leaving school. Another mode of entry is through the Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam, which is meant for graduates. Commissions through both channels are permanent. Besides, there is a permanent commission for those who have done their post-graduation, which is usually for engineers, electronics and mechanical engineers (EMEs), judge and advocate general (JAGs), signals, army educational corps (AECs), etc. The Officer Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai and Gaya recruits short service commission officers, both men and women. This is presently the only entry option available for women.
At present, the top positions in the army, navy and air force are usually manned by NDA recruits. The reason is simple. NDA recruits have an advantage as their entry age is between 16.5 and 19. In defence services, where retirement age is tied to the rank held, the youngest in a batch have a very clear benefit.
