Government Ordered to Decide on Women’s Inclusion in Military via CDS Exam within 8 Weeks

The Delhi High Court has ordered the Union Defense Ministry to decide within eight weeks on a plea seeking permission for women to join the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force through the Combined Defense Services (CDS) examination.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan Singh and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora disposed of the petition filed by advocate Kush Kalra with this direction.

Kalra had given a representation to the Central Government on December 22, 2023.

Although Kalra’s lawyer said that the petition could be kept pending till the government decides on his representation, the court said that the government should decide the matter without hanging the sword of the petition over its head.

Central government standing counsel (CGSC) Kirtiman Singh told the bench that the government was gradually taking steps to include women in the armed forces.

The complaint is that it should be done this year. This year, cadre allocation has already been done. I am sure this will also happen (the introduction of women in the Army, Navy and Air Force through CDS) but I cannot make a statement that it will be done immediately.

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After this, the court disposed of the petition and ordered the Central Government to dispose of Kalra’s representation within eight weeks.

The petition was filed by lawyer Kush Kalra stating that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has issued notification for recruitment to the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Indian Naval Academy (INA) and Air Force Academy (AFA) of the Indian Armed Forces. Applications are invited.

Kalra argued that the notification unfairly excludes women from appearing in the examinations conducted for IMA, INA and AFA merely based on their gender.
He said the notification bars women from applying to IMA, INA and IAF, adding that only women are being considered for the Short Service Commission (SSC) in OTA.