Women Can Join National Defence Academy, Will Be Granted Permanent Commission, Centre Tells Supreme Court

Here's some good news to all women who wish to make an early career in the Indian Armed Forces following their intermediate or Class 12. The Centre today apprised the Supreme Court that women can now be inducted or granted entry into the National Defence Academy (NDA) with a permanent commission that remained a male bastion hitherto.

Informing about the decision to induct women in the National Defence Academy (NDA), the Centre told the Supreme Court that the decision was arrived at following a consultation with the chiefs of all three defence services.

"There is good news. The Forces at the highest level and the government have taken a decision last evening to induct girls for permanent commission through the National Defence Academy," ASG Aishwarya Bhati informed a Supreme Bench led by Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M.M. Sundresh

However, the Additional Solicitor General Ms. Bhati sought a status quo on allowing women's entry into NDA in the current academic year for reasons involving policy change, infrastructure, training and procedure while allowing for the NDA exam to be conducted, which will now be held on November 14 against the earlier date of September 5.

Appreciating the move to grant women entry in the NDA, the Supreme Court bench said, "We are extremely glad to know that the armed forces themselves took the decision to induct women into the NDA."

"The armed forces play an important role... but need to do more for gender equality in the forces. We want them to take a proactive approach themselves in ensuring gender equality rather than waiting for courts to intervene," the Supreme Court further observed

The development comes in the light of the Supreme Court hearing a petition on allowing women for taking up the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Naval Academy exams and had earlier on August 18 passed an interim order permitting women to undertake the NDA exam stating that not allowing females to appear for the examination is gender discrimination