Historic Decision: Women Will Be Admitted To NDA, Centre Tells Supreme Court

Photo courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that women will be admitted into the National Defence Academy (NDA) for permanent commission into India’s armed forces, calling it a “historic decision” and sought more time to frame guidelines.

Addressing the court, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told the court: “I am delighted to share this. Girls will be admitted in NDA. We will place a detailed affidavit.”

The Court was hearing a public interest litigation petition claiming that denying women the opportunity to be part of NDA was violative of their fundamentals rights under Articles 14, 15, 16 and 19 of the Constitution.

During the previous hearing of the case, the court had passed an interim order allowing women candidates to appear for the NDA entrance exam.

“We are extremely glad to know that the armed forces themselves took the decision to induct women into the NDA. We know that reforms cannot happen in a day… The government will place timelines of the process and the course of action,” the Supreme Court said.

“The armed forces play an important role… but need to do more for gender equality in the forces. We want them to take a proactive approach themselves in ensuring gender equality rather than waiting for courts to intervene,” the Supreme Court said.

Today’s hearing comes less than a month after the Supreme Court, in a landmark interim order, said women can sit for the NDA admission exam, which has been rescheduled for November 14.