"We are against war but peace cannot be there without strength," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said and noted that India never considered war as the first option.

New Delhi Nov 29 PTI As many as 557 women officers have been granted Permanent Commission PC in the Indian Army following a judgement by the Supreme Court in February last year the government said in Rajya Sabha on Monday Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt replying to a question said there was no delay in granting Permanent Commission to any woman officer He said 557 women officers have been granted Permanent Commission in Indian Army after the Supreme Court judgment dated February 17 His reply came in response to a question on the number of women army officers who were granted Permanent Commission after the Supreme Court verdict To a specific question on the timeframe by which all 72 women officers will be accorded the PC Bhatt added that 63 eligible women officers have been granted Permanent Commission as on November 25 in compliance of the judgement of the Supreme Court The Supreme Court in February last year had ordered the government to ensure that women officers are given a permanent commission PC in the Army PTI MPB RT RT

New Delhi Nov 22 PTI The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Army to have a re-look into the case of Women Short Service Commission Officers who were denied Permanent Commission PC as they failed to get threshold 60 per cent marks after being assessed on the basis of UAC based evaluation system A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna asked Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain and senior advocate R Balasubramanian appearing for Centre and the Army to take into account the updated Annual Confidential Report ACR of the officers beyond the fifth and tenth year of their serviceThe top court was hearing a plea of nearly half a dozen women officers who have claimed that they have been denied a permanent commission as they were assessed on the basis of a faulty UAC systemWe are not saying ignore the Unit Assessment Card UAC system but please have a look into the updated ACRs If they have outstanding ACRs then dispensing them will be a disservice to the Army and the nation the bench saidThe UAC system prevailed in the Army from 1999 to 2005 and was abolished by the Army in 2005 It was replaced with an ACR-based evaluation system for grant of the Permanent Commission PC Jain said that he and senior advocate Balasubramanian will look into each of the cases and sought time to seek instructions from the concerned officersThe bench said Probably this may be the last leg of officers who have been left out of permanent commission We need to iron out some creases and put a lid on the entire issue Look into their case If they still dont cross the 60 per cent criteria then they are out but have a look into all the aspects If considering ACR they cross the 60 per cent mark then nothing remains in UACThe top court said that it is not finding fault with the UAC system and every department has its own evaluation system and it is impressed with the way the Army has handled this issue During the hearing Jain said that the Army has followed what the top court has said in its judgement that the candidate should have 60 per cent marks and in the case of these women officers they have not got 60 per cent criteria He said that even the Delhi High Court has refused to accept their plea on the ground that 60 per cent criteria fixed by the Supreme Court are not met by these officersSenior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi appearing for some women officers said that most of them have not crossed 60 per cent criteria as they have been assessed by faulty UAC system and if the Army only takes into account their ACRs then they will cross 60 per cent marksHe said that when Army has found the earlier UAC system as faulty and replaced it with a new system then how can they assess these officers based on the faulty system The bench said that it is granting time till December 10 to the ASG Jain and senior advocate Balasubramanian and they will have a re-look into the issueOn November 12 the top court had threatened the Army with contempt action against it and its Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane over non-compliance with its earlier orders after which the defence force had agreed to grant PC to all of its eligible women officers The Army had initially said that out of the 36 Women Short Service Commission Officers WSSCO in the force who have filed the contempt petition it has granted PC to 22 officers while 14 were not considered fit including three on medical ground The top court had said that all the individual cases will be dealt with in accordance with law and did not proceed with initiating the contempt action against the Indian Army and its Chief With the direction of the top court 68 out of the total 71 WSSCOs who were earlier denied PC were granted the permanent commission Initially 72 officers were denied the PC but later one officer had opted to quit Three officers have been found medically unfit On October 8 the top court had directed the Centre to issue orders granting PC to 39 such officers in seven working days and furnish the details of 25 officers with reasons who were not considered On October 1 the top court had restrained the Army from discharging the 72 WSSCOs who were not considered for PC till further orders and had sought a reply within a week on why they were not considered for the service The women officers have alleged that the top courts March 25 ruling was not considered by the Army and all 72 of them were rejected from consideration for the PC at one go In its March 25 verdict the Army was directed by the top court to consider granting PC to the WSSCOs subject to their obtaining 60 per cent marks in the assessment subjects being found fit on medical criteria as per the August 1 2020 order of the Army and having received disciplinary and vigilance clearances On February 17 last year in a landmark verdict the top court had directed that women officers in the Army be granted a permanent commission rejecting the Centres stand of their physiological limitations as being based on sex stereotypes and gender discrimination against women The apex court had directed that within three months all serving SSC women officers have to be considered for PCs irrespective of them having crossed 14 years or as the case may be 20 years of service PTI MNL MNL RKS RKS

Threatened with contempt action against the Indian Army and its Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane by the Supreme Court over non-compliance of its earlier orders, the defence force agreed on Friday to grant Permanent Commission (PC) to all of its eligible women officers. “We are holding Army guilty of contempt of court. We are putting you […]

New Delhi [India], November 12 (ANI): After the Supreme Court cautioned the Indian Army of contempt, the Centre on Friday assured that it will roll out Permanent Commission option to all eligible Women Short Service Commission Officers (WSSCO) in the Army.

New Delhi [India], October 22 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to issue orders granting Permanent Commission (PC) to 39 Women Short Service Commission (SSC) Officers in the Army in seven working days.

After winning a legal battle in the Supreme Court, thirty- nine women Army officers got Permanent commission. The government is ordered to ensure their new service status is granted within seven working days.

After winning a legal battle in the Supreme Court, thirty- nine women Army officers got Permanent commission. The government is ordered to ensure their new service status is granted within seven working days.

A big win for women Army officers fighting for equality. 39 women officers have got Permanent Commission in Army after winning a legal battle in the Supreme Court. A total of 71 women Short Service Commission officers, who were denied Permanent Commission, had gone to the Supreme Court seeking Permanent Commission. The centre told the […]

New Delhi [India], September 21 (ANI): The Defence Ministry told the Supreme Court that a notification allowing women candidates to appear for the entrance exam to the National Defence Academy (NDA) will be out by May 2022.