Centre opens NDA to women after SC push

THE COURT HAD OBSERVED THAT THE ARMED FORCES ARE RESPECTED BUT ‘THEY NEED TO DO MORE TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY’

NEW DELHI: Nudged by the Supreme Court, the Union government has taken a decision to throw open the doors of the National Defence Academy (NDA) to women cadets -although it has also sought an exemption for this year’s admission, exams for which are to be held in November.

The development came weeks after the top court directed that women can also sit for the upcoming NDA examination while holding that the policy that restricts their entry into the elite institution is based on “gender discrimination”.

The Centre on Wednesday informed the top court that the decision to allow women in the joint defence service training institute of the Indian armed forces was made on Tuesday evening, in consultation with the three chiefs of the armed forces and the competent authority in the government.

A bench, headed by justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, appreciated the government’s decision and asked for a detailed affidavit by September 20 on the manner in which the policy is going to be implemented and the timeline for execution.

“We do hope defence forces value the important role women are performing. You may go at a comfortable pace, but redressal must take place...the armed forces play an important role in the system, for forming an immensely essential function. We would not easily interfere in their roles and would rather want them to take a proactive approach towards gender equality, instead of the court stepping in,” said the bench, which also included justice MM Sundresh.

The top court on August 18 rejected the government’s argument that the restriction against women from training at the Pune-based NDA was a policy decision while issuing the interim order to let them sit for the upcoming exam in November.