Women welcome to sit for NDA tests

Women are being ensured an equal chance at building their careers in defence forces, courtesy the Supreme Court of India.

 Women welcome to sit for NDA tests

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• The story: The Supreme Court has struck again, in favour of women wanting to joing the defence forces of India. Breaking the glass ceiling that endured for 65 years, it ordered that women can also sit for the upcoming National Defence Academy (NDA) examination.
• No discrimination: It held that the policy that restricts their entry into the elite institution is based on “gender discrimination”. It criticised the army’s mindset in (not) providing equal opportunities to women. This ruling came just days before the service chiefs of the army, navy and the air force are set to visit the NDA in Pune to review facilities and arrangements for women cadets.
• The bench: A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh Roy threw open the doors of the joint defence service training institute of the Indian armed forces to women cadets, directing the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) to give wide publicity to the new advertisement on admissions so that intent of the order is translated into effect and more women apply.
• Union govt. not happy: Rejecting an argument by the Union government that the restriction against women from training at the Pune-based NDA was a policy decision, the court recorded in its order: “This is a policy decision based on gender discrimination. We expect the army and the government to take a more constructive view of the matter.”

1. The judges said that "It is like the army will act only when judicial orders are passed. Air force and navy are far more liberal but army does not believe in taking voluntary decision till the courts pass orders".
2. The government argued that some amount of leeway will have to be given to the defence ministry in framing its policies regarding training institutes and other branches because the issues pertained to national security.
3. The bench said that the Army must not make judiciary intervene every time. They ought to do it on their own.

• Norms: As per the revised calendar of the UPSC, which conducts the exam for NDA, the entrance exam has been rescheduled from September 5 to November 14. Under the current eligibility criteria, only male candidates who have cleared class 12 level or its equivalent education and were in the age group of 16-and-a-half and 19 were eligible to apply. Those who clear the NDA exam are called for interview by the Service Selection Board (SSB) and following a medical exam, candidates are recruited in the Indian Army, navy, and air force wings of NDA, and for the INA course for pre-commission training. NDA was commissioned in 1955.

1. Petitioners cited the Centre’s affidavit to question the rationale behind prohibiting women from entry at NDA when they could be recruited through Officers Training Academy (OTA) and Short Service Commission (SSC).
2. The law officer tried to persuade the bench that the army is not against women and that it is now granting permanent commission to women as well. The court reminded that that too was due to a Supreme Court judgement.

• One more: The bench also heard another petition for admission of girls into the Dehradun-based Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) and asked Bhati how long it will take for the government to bring gender equality in such institutions. A petition argued that the categorical exclusion of eligible female candidates from NDA was unconstitutional and done entirely on the basis of their sex.
• Summary: The Supreme Court has taken a very firm stand on women's entry into Indian defence forces, and the Army will not be able to kick the can down the road anymore.

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