‘And the hill was conquered’: NDA’s first 17 women cadets overcome obstacles.

• Jasmine, one of 17 graduates, is part of the first batch of women to graduate from the military’s joint services training institute in Khadakwasla, Maharashtra.

• The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the NDA in September 2021, citing a petition arguing the NDA violated women’s right to equality and the right to practice their chosen profession.

• Despite three decades of women serving in the Indian Armed Forces through Short Service Commission, the Army still does not permit women in the fighting arms like the infantry.

The selection process for cadets includes a written examination by the UPSC, an interview process under the Services Selection Board, medical tests, and a Computerized Pilot Selection System (CPSS) test for those aspiring to join the Air Force.

Further training for cadets is required after three years of rigorous physical training and academic courses, with Army cadets going to Dehradun’s Indian Military Academy, Air Force cadets at the Air Force Academy (AFA) at Dundigal, and naval cadets at Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala, Kerala.

NDA’s Physical Training and Gender Neutrality

• Physical training is a key component of the NDA’s three-year course, encompassing obstacle courses, route marches, swimming, horse riding, rope climbing, sprinting, field tactics, and weapon handling.

• Initially, the Centre opposed the enrollment of women due to biological differences, but now all training is the same for women, with physical standards adjusted to address these differences.

• Women attribute the inclusion of women to mental strength and endurance, despite the physical challenges they face.

• The 40 km Josh Camp, conducted at the end of the sixth term, is considered one of the toughest challenges for women.

• NDA Commandant Vice-Admiral Gurcharan Singh calls the inclusion of women a “progressive process.”

• The NDA aims to build camaraderie among squadron members to achieve gender neutrality, ensuring no difference in times of conflict or battle.

• Parents of cadets also visit their children at the end of each term of six months, fostering bonds and friendships that are for life.