Editorial: Towards gender equality in Indian Armed Forces

The passing out of 17 female cadets marks a historic leap towards true gender parity in the Indian military

The recent graduation ceremony at the National Defence Academy (NDA) marked a watershed moment for the armed forces. It was for the first time that women cadets passed out along with their male counterparts and were conferred degrees. The first batch of 17 female cadets are now all set to serve the Indian Army, scripting a new chapter in the annals of armed forces. Their success marks a historic leap towards true gender parity in the military. The passing out parade was a culmination of hard work, determination and high standards of physical fitness. The women cadets formed part of 336 candidates who passed out this year. The development opens a realistic path for women to reach the highest echelons of the Indian military in the coming decades. Following a Supreme Court direction in 2021, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) allowed women to apply to the Defence Academy. As a result, they joined the Pune-based NDA in 2022. Initially, there was reluctance on the part of the Army to fully accommodate women officers in its ranks. Often, certain hackneyed arguments are made to keep women out of the Army — physical constraints, family responsibilities, low acceptance in leadership roles, vulnerability to sexual and other harassment and lack of infrastructure. Such arguments lack merit and are totally unjustified, reflecting an inherent institutional bias. Since the induction of women into the Army in 1992 as officers, there has been little evidence of women seeking any special treatment at workplaces.

The apex court issued a directive to the government in 2020 to grant Permanent Commission to women in the Army and Navy and then followed it up the next year by allowing women to sit for the NDA entrance examination. Until then, command appointments were not offered to them. After a long struggle, they have earned a rightful place in the armed forces on a par with their male counterparts. Shedding initial reluctance, the Army eventually came on board. This development, along with the Centre’s recent decision to admit girls to Sainik Schools across the country, lays a roadmap for correcting the equity deficit. Till now, women were eligible for entry into the Army through the Officers’ Training Academy and Indian Military Academy. The NDA, which recruits cadets fresh out of school, between the ages of 16 and 19, remained an all-male bastion. It is high time the NDA was made gender inclusive by creating new infrastructure and providing the required training standards. This will make the armed forces better and stronger. It must be pointed out that the changing nature of warfare has brought in a new set of challenges that go beyond physical fitness. Technical expertise, decision-making skills and mental resilience have become an important prerequisite for the officers. On all these counts, women are in no way inferior to men.

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