Why in the news?

  • SC  struck down a policy of the Army restricting the appointment of women officers to the Judge Advocate General (JAG) branch.

Gender Equality in Armed Forces

  • Constitutional Backing
    • Article 14: Equality before law.
    • Article 15(1): Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sex.
    • Article 16: Equality of opportunity in public employment.
    • Article 15(3): Permits special provisions for women.
  • Evolution of Women’s Role in Indian Armed Forces
    • 1992: Women inducted as Short Service Commission (SSC) officers in select branches.
    • 2015: Women inducted as fighter pilots in IAF (on experimental basis, made permanent in 2022).
    • 2020: Supreme Court in Secretary, MoD vs Babita Puniya – Women eligible for Permanent Commission in Army’s non-combat streams.
    • 2021: Women allowed in NDA for officer training.
    • 2022: First woman posted in BRO as EE (Civil).
    • 2023: Women inducted into the Artillery Regiment for the first time.
  • Supreme Court Judgments
    • Babita Puniya Case (2020)
      • SC ruled women officers are entitled to Permanent Commission in Indian Army on par with men in all services (except combat arms where policy is still evolving).
      • Criticised “gender stereotypes” in defence.
    • NDA Entry Case (2021)
      • SC allowed women to take the NDA exam, stating denial violated Articles 14, 15, and 16.
  • Current Status
    • Indian Army: Women in all corps except infantry, armoured corps (pilot projects under discussion).
    • Indian Navy: Women as officers in all branches, including warships.
    • Indian Air Force: Women in all roles, including fighter pilots.
    • Coast Guard & CAPFs: Progressive integration in combat & leadership roles.
  • Challenges
    • Physical standards: Need for gender-neutral but role-specific physical benchmarks.
    • Combat role resistance: Concerns over unit cohesion, infrastructure, physiological differences.
    • Deployment issues: Facilities for women in remote/high-altitude combat zones.
    • Mindset barriers: Prevailing gender bias in traditionally male-dominated forces.
    • Career progression: Ensuring equal opportunities in command postings.
  • Government Initiatives
    • Permanent Commission to women in Army, Navy, IAF.
    • Gender-neutral admission in NDA, Sainik Schools.
    • Infrastructure upgrades – separate accommodation, hygiene facilities in combat areas.
    • Induction of women in Artillery Regiment (2023).
  • Way Forward
    • Policy reforms – Clear roadmap for inclusion in combat arms.
    • Training – Equal standards with role-specific adjustments.
    • Cultural change – Gender-sensitisation programmes for all ranks.
    • Infrastructure – Ensure deployment readiness in forward areas.
    • International best practices – Learning from countries like the USA, Israel, Australia.