In a move that would fasten the process of inducting the women cadets into the National Defence Academy (NDA), the central government has informed the Supreme Court that it would induct women into the Academy. The Centre's Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati told a bench led by Justice S K Kaul that a decision had been made at the highest level of the armed services and the government that females would be inducted for permanent commission through the NDA.
The ASG further requested authorization from the Supreme Court to record the details by affidavit, as well as a status quo in this year's exams due to procedure and infrastructure modifications. She said, "There is a piece of good news. A decision has been taken at the highest level of forces and government that women will be inducted for Permanent Commission through the National Defence Academy. The decision was taken late evening yesterday."
Top court passed interim order last month
The apex asked ASG Bhati to put the statement on record through an affidavit and adjourned the matter for two weeks and posted the matter for hearing on September 22. 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." Today, ASG said that the women will be admitted to the NDA and apprised the Bench that the exam was postponed to November 24, 2021.
Female candidates were allowed to sit for the NDA exam on September 5 by the Supreme Court, but admissions were conditional on the outcome of the petition. It also chastised the government and army for refusing to allow women to sit for NDA tests. The appeal was filed in the Supreme Court, requesting that eligible female candidates be allowed to join the NDA and the Indian Naval Academy (INA) on an equal footing with male candidates. Denial of the chance to women applicants to join in the NDA, according to the petition filed by lawyer Kush Kalra, is a violation of Articles 14, 15, 16, and 19 of the Constitution.
