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Army chief appeals to NDA to accept women cadets with sense of fair play, professionalism
Earlier in September, the Ministry of Defence had informed the SC that a notification allowing women candidates to appear for the entrance exam to the NDA will be out by May next year. But observing that induction of women to the NDA cannot be postponed by one year, the apex court had allowed female candidates to take the exam in November this year
PUNE Indian Army chief General MM Naravane on Friday said it is expected that the women cadets are welcomed with the same sense of fair play and professionalism, and further stressed that their induction will be the “first step towards gender equality” in the armed forces.
The army chief made the remarks after reviewing the passing out parade of the 141st course of the National Defence Academy (NDA).
General Naravane said that the women officers will be in the same position forty years later in their life at the current position he stands before the audience. “As we open the portals of the NDA for women cadets, we expect you to welcome them with the same sense of fair play and professionalism as Indian Armed forces are known globally,” he stated.
Earlier in September, the Ministry of Defence had informed the Supreme Court that a notification allowing women candidates to appear for the entrance exam to the NDA will be out by May next year. But observing that induction of women to the NDA cannot be postponed by one year, the apex court had allowed female candidates to take the exam in November this year and not wait till May 2022 as requested by the government.
General Naravane during a media interaction said, “As women cadets are being inducted into NDA, he is confident that they will perform better than their male counterparts.”
“Over the years, as we have grown and matured, as the curriculum has changed, training methodology has changed, the course content has improved. We have become more well-trained and better-equipped to meet whatever challenges that emerge. As we go ahead, we will be inducting women cadets in the academy, I am sure they will perform better than their male counterparts,” he reiterated.
Referring to their induction into the Army as the first step towards gender equality, the army chief said the army has always been at the forefront of all initiatives that have been taken in the country. “As a result of this, they will also get empowered. They will hold more challenging assignments. It’s not that we don’t have women officers. We already have women officers undergoing training at OTA (Officers Training Academy) in Chennai. They are exceedingly doing well and I am sure that the Academy will continue to prosper and flourish and bring fame and glory,” he said.
During his direct address to the cadets, the army chief said, “Little over 42 years back when I stood at the same drill square today as you stand today, little could I have imagined that one day I would be reviewing this magnificent parade.”
