Allegations of gender discrimination in NDA admission

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the government to respond to a petition alleging discrimination against women by preventing them from appearing for entrance into the prestigious National Defense Academy and Naval Academy.

Chief Justice of India Sharad A. A bench headed by Bobde issued notice to the government and the Union Public Service Commission on the plea of ​​advocate Kush Kalra, who said that qualified and desirous women aspiring for a career in the armed forces are barred from entering. In these centers of excellence only on the ground of gender.

Mr. Kalra said that his boycott is a gross violation of his fundamental right to equality and equal opportunity. He said that discrimination against women is an insult to the constitution.

“The act of completely depriving eligible and interested women candidates from appearing in the National Defense Academy and Naval Academy examinations, which is purely on the basis of sex, is a violation of the fundamental right to equality and equal protection before the law. Law, ”the petition states.

The petition referred to the verdict of the apex court in February last year, which helped the women officers to achieve the level of the game and to compete with their male counterparts for the Permanent Commission (PC).

The Supreme Court last year upheld the 2010 Delhi High Court decision granting PCs to women officers in the army. It dismissed as a “sex stereotype” that women were physically weaker than men.

The Supreme Court had said in the judgment, “The force has been praised by women officers of the Indian Army … their track record of service to the nation is beyond reproach.”