E-Paper
Men outnumber women in taking NDA exam in Punjab
Out of the total 8,535 candidates who took the exam in Punjab, 5,905 were men, while 2,630 were women candidates.
: Men outnumbered women in taking the National Defence Academy (NDA) exam in Punjab conducted by the Union Public Service Commission across the country on Sunday, unlike last year when more females took the defence test as compared to their male counterparts in the state.
Out of the total 8,535 candidates who took the exam, 5,905 were men, while 2,630 were women.
The Supreme Court, in a landmark order on August 18, 2021, had opened doors of the National Defence Academy (NDA) to women cadets following which five women appeared for every man who took the exam in the state in November last year.
Aditya Dachalwal, Joint Commissioner Municipal Corporation, here said that Ludhiana was the only district for the exam in Punjab.
Students from distant districts of the state and a few from other states, including Himachal Pradesh, and Union Territory Chandigarh took the exam in Ludhiana in a total of 40 centres located in various schools and colleges here.
UPSC held the NDA exam in two shifts
The NDA aspirants took the mathematics examination in the morning shift from 10 am to 12:30 pm and appeared for General Ability Test in the evening shift from 2 pm to 4:30 pm.
In the morning shift, out of the total 9,258 applicants who were eligible to appear in the defence exam, only 4,252 candidates took the test, including 2,958 male candidates and 1,294 females in Ludhiana. However, 5,006 candidates did not appear for the exam.
In the second shift, out of the total 9,258 students, 4,283 candidates appeared in the examination and 4,975 candidates remained absent. Out of this, 2,947 were men who took the exam and 1,336 were female candidates.
OP Kapoor, superintendent, municipal corporation, one of those in charge of conducting the exams, said that unlike last year, no special separate centres for women candidates were formed this time. Candidates along with their guardians reached the centres early in the morning.
Ankit Sharma, 18, an NDA aspirant from Ferozpur, said, “since my father is Naib Subedar in the Indian Army, he wants me to be an army officer and it would be a great pleasure to fulfill his dream. I have prepared well and hopefully I will get through the examination.”
Janvi, 18, from the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh lauded the Supreme Court’s verdict to allow female cadets in NDA. “Earlier I wanted to be an IPS but now since even the females can be part of the NDA, I am determined to serve the Indian Army”, she said.
CDS Examination
UPSC also conducted Combined Defence Services examination across the country on Sunday. The exam was held in three shifts. Students across Punjab appeared for the exam in Ludhiana.
In the morning shift, out of the total 4,365 eligible candidates, 2,861 candidates remained absent. Out of the total 1,504 aspirants who took the exam, 959 were males and 545 female candidates.
In the afternoon shift, 1,500 applicants appeared for the exam, including 954 males and 546 females.
A total of 571 male students took the exam in the evening shift, while no female candidates appeared in this shift.
