SC NOTICE TO CENTRE ON DENYING WOMEN ENTRY INTO NDA

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has sought response from the Centre and the National Defence Academy (NDA) on a public interest litigation challenging the exclusion of women candidates from applying or entering the prestigious National Defence Academy and Naval Academy.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde issued a notice to the Ministry of Defence, NDA and Department of Defence on a petition filed by advocate Kush Kalra. The petition questioned the categorical exclusion of eligible female candidates from entering the NDA and Naval Academy via the examination conducted by the UPSC.

The court allowed a woman aspirant Anita (known by her first name only) to join the proceedings as she told the court that her dream to serve as an officer in the Army was cut short due to the discriminatory rule that does not allow eligible women who have completed Class 12 or a similar qualifying exam to apply for admission at the NDA. Kalra, in his petition, said that the cause for filing was the February 2020 decision by Supreme Court allowing women commissioned for short service in the Army to be eligible for permanent commission. It said that eligible female candidates having adequate 10+2 level of education are denied the opportunity to take the examination on the ground of their sex and the consequence of this denial is that they do not have access to any mode of entry to join the armed forces as officers at this level.HTC