Notification allowing women in NDA to be released by May

NEW DELHI: The Defence Ministry has informed the Supreme Court that a notification allowing women candidates to appear for the entrance exam to the National Defence Academy (NDA) will be out by May next year.

Keeping the timeline in mind, deliberate planning and meticulous preparation is needed to ensure smooth induction and seamless training of women candidates, it said.

“The Government, in line with its commitment, hereby place on record its clear and categorical stand that the women candidates shall be considered for entry in the three defence services, in the existing streams, through NDA,” the ministry said in an affidavit filed before the top court.

The NDA entrance exams are held twice a year and the government proposes to have necessary mechanisms in place by

May 2022, the time by which UPSC is required to publish the first notification next year, for the exam, it said.

A Study Group has been constituted by the Defence services, comprising of experts to expeditiously formulate the curriculum for women cadets at NDA, it said, adding that a Board of Officers has been convened to give a holistic and futuristic proposal for training them.

In order to appear for the exam, candidates are required to meet the eligibility criteria which includes physical standards like height and weight, it said.

While medical standards for male cadets are in place, they are being formulated for women, it said, adding that it needs to be finalised before they join the Academy.

Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services and the body of experts will undertake that for the three Defence services, the ministry said.