Supreme Court declares women Army officers eligible for permanent commissions

17 Feb 2020

Supreme Court declares women Army officers eligible for permanent commissions

Supreme Court declares women Army officers eligible for permanent commissionsToday, the Supreme Court (SC) declared that women officers are eligible for command posts and permanent commissions (PC) in the Army irrespective of their years of service.

SC Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta upheld the Delhi High Court judgment of 2010.
 	The 2010 judgement held that women officers, in short service commission (SSC), if found eligible, should be granted permanent commission.
 	The central government had appealed against the 2010 ruling, arguing that women are physiologically (physically, biologically) weaker than men.
 	The Supreme Court, while giving the ruling, criticised the government's way of thinking on this subject.
 	The government has been given 3 months to implement the order.
 	It must also give pensionary benefits to those who have been retired on account of not being granted the benefits.
 	The SC also added that all terms of appointments of women officers shall be the same as their male counterparts.

This is a historic ruling for women in the defence forces as well as for gender equality.

What is permanent commission and short service commission?

A permanent commission means a career in the Army until you reach the retirement age.
 	In short service commission, one can join the Army and serving as a Commissioned Officer for 10/14 years. At the end of this period, one can either opt for a permanent commission or leave the army.

Before this announcement, women were given permanent commissions in only two streams of the Army - Judge Advocate General and Army Education Corps. Now, they can opt for all 10 streams in the Army.

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Today, the Supreme Court (SC) declared that women officers are eligible for command posts and permanent commissions (PC) in the Army irrespective of their years […]

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