Over 1,000 women candidates clear their first NDA exam

New Delhi, Dec 17: As the Union Public Service Commission conducted the first-ever NDA exam in which women appeared, it has been reported that more than 1,000 women candidates on Wednesday featured in the list of over 8,000 candidates who cleared the National Defence Academy (NDA) exam conducted on November 14.

 

 

Following the clearance of the NDA exams, the 1,002 women candidates will now appear for the Service Selection Board test and medical tests. After appearing for the SSB exams and clearing the medical test, a total of 19 women will be shortlisted for next year’s NDA course who can later join the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force as officers.

 

The Academy will take in 400 cadets next year. Of these, 208 candidates, including 10 women, will go to the Army. The Navy will take in 42 candidates, including three women, while the IAF will admit 120 candidates, of which six will be women.

 

Recently, in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt had informed that 1,77,654 women had applied for the exam. The total number of applicants was 5,75,856.

 

 

In a very significant move, the Supreme Court in September had ruled that women must be inducted into the NDA from this year itself, and not from 2022 as sought by the Centre. Before the ruling, women officers would join the Army from the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai, and the Navy and IAF from the Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy, where they would be admitted after their graduation. Notably, cadets join the NDA for training after Class-12 exams.

 

 

To welcome women candidates for the first time, the NDA is putting in place a strong security apparatus and initiating appointments of women instructors, doctors including gynaecologists, and other requisite support staff.

 

(With inputs from News 18)