SC Orders Permanent Commission to Women Officers in Army

The Supreme Court has said that women officers must be considered for permanent commission (PC) subject to disciplinary and vigilance clearance. The court passed the order while hearing a plea from women Army officers who were rejected for permanent commission.

The court has also made strong observations about the Army's evaluation criteria to grant permanent commission to officers, calling it arbitrary and irrational. Regarding this the court said that the evaluation criteria adopted by Army constitute systematic discrimination of women. The criteria require them to match the lowest merit of male officer and requirement to be in Shape-1 criteria affects women.

In the petition, the women officers claimed that 615 women officers of the Short Service Commission (SSC) were eligible for PC, but only 277 made it to the final list.

SC has asked the Army to consider the candidature of these women officers within a month in accordance with the directions issued by the court.

Last year, Union Government has decided to grant Permanent Commission to the women officers in the Indian Army. The Ministry of Defence had sanctioned formal letter for grant of Permanent Commission for women officers.

Women are inducted in Officers Training Academy for SSC (Non-Technical) Course through CDS exam. Indian Air Force inducts women officers in Flying and Ground Duty (Technical and Non-Technical) branches through AFCAT exam. Women cadets selected through these exams are granted Short Service Commission.

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