The Supreme Court of India, on Wednesday, refused to vacate the interim order that it passed to allow women candidates to take the National Defence Academy (NDA). The court had passed an order on 18 August 2021 to allow women candidates to participate in the exam that is going to be held on November 14.
The Ministry of Defence had made a prayer in the Supreme Court to sought time, till May 2022, for the induction of women in NDA citing "infrastructural and curriculum changes".
However, a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul ordered that the women's entry in the ND fold cannot be delayed any further. Senior Advocate Chinmoy Pradip Sharma on behalf of the petitioner Kush Kalra said that delaying the exams would mean that women can only be able to enter NDA in 2023.
There are two exams held every year by the NDA. To participate in the May 2022 exam would mean that the first women's batch to enter the NDA would not happen before 2023, said Advocate Sharma.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati submitted that the NDA needs time to make changes in curriculum, infrastructure, etc, to facilitate women's entry. Justice Kaul heard Advocate Bhati's concerns but said that the exam cannot be delayed any further.
"We appreciate your problems. I'm sure you people are capable of finding solutions. Let us see the results. The planning can go on", said Justice Kaul as reported by Live Law. "Not many many have enrolled for the exam this time. So numbers might be smaller. So instead of skipping the exam, try to work out something for them," added the judge.
The court also told the Ministry of Defence to collaborate with the UPSC by giving them tentative parameters to conduct the exam.