Monday, September 13, 2021

Not exactly military justice, but a step forward for women in the Indian military . . .

After the Supreme Court of India had passed an interim order permitting women to take the entrance examination for induction into the National Defence Academy (NDA), the Government of India has now itself submitted to the Court that it has taken a policy decision to do so on its own. The NDA hence would be opening its gates to women. The NDA is the premier military academy where candidates can apply after finishing their Grade/Class-12. The academy runs a course of 3 years which also culminates in a Bachelor’s degree. Thereafter, the cadets spend another year in the service specific academy after which they are commissioned respectively into the three Indian defence services.

The move comes in the backdrop of the longstanding litigation wherein the Delhi High Court and later the Supreme Court in 2020 had ruled that women would also be provided the equal opportunity to serve as career military officers with a Permanent Commission. Until then, women were only allowed to serve as Short Service Commissioned Officers for a maximum of 14 years, a position that was held unconstitutional by the High Court and then the Supreme Court.

More can be read from this news-report in The Hindu.

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