Col. Prashant Mishra

Women’s stand for permanent commission in the army is justified

• Most of the officers and soldiers are from the rural stock and we all are aware that the bias against women exists in the rural stock.
• From a legal standpoint, it is fully justified for women to ask for permanent commission as they also serve in short service commission along with men and they also have aspirations to rise up a higher rank.
• A major obstruction for women in getting permanent commission in the army is that every candidate needs to join the army as soldiers first and then grow to a higher rank. But very few women are aspiring to join the army as soldiers.
• Also, the criteria for qualifying for the permanent commission should be the same for men and women as we cannot compromise on the overall scheme of things.

Vivek Kumar

Supreme Court’s instance on permanent women commission in the army is applaudable

• Initially, after the independence, the Indian government was reserved and has the opinion that women should not be allowed permanent commission in the army but things have changed over time.
• By not giving women permanent commission in the army the government will be violating the constitutional rights of the women which includes article 14, the right to equality.
• The government has said that women are not fit to serve in ground combat roles and behavioural and psychological challenges are also present.
• The way forward is to make a bigger shift in the norms, culture, values of the rank, and file of the army which is the responsibility of the Military and Political leadership.

Kartik Keshari

Women have proved their capability time and again

• The government believes women are physically weaker than men and hence cannot be given a permanent commission in the army and some provisions in the army implement this.
• Our history is evident that women are not weak. For instance, when Subhash Chandra Bose formed the Azaad Hind Fauj there was a separate regiment for women.
• Today’s era is of modern warfare which requires mental strength and capabilities much more than physical strength.
• The brilliance of women is much required in the army and hence we should welcome the decision taken by the Supreme Court.

Dharam Deepak Vishwas

We should not doubt women’s capabilities

• Women are no less than men on the aspect of physiological strength. The Supreme Court had given judgment in support of women earlier as well but it was not being followed.
• Recently the petition was filed again by a group of women officers and the court has said that contempt of court proceedings would be initiated against the officers who failed to comply with the earlier judgement of the court.
• The Supreme Court has also directed that all the women officers who have fulfilled the grade of 60% shall be entitled to permanent commission subject to the medical criteria.
• If the women desire permanent commission in the army they should also be willing to join as soldiers in the army and the criteria should be the same for both men and women.

Sukant Kumar

This judgement should have come much earlier

• It is very unfortunate that women had to wait for so many decades to get equal opportunities like men in the army.
• If we doubt women’s physiological capabilities then we should look at some of the outstanding women athletes that India has produced like Hima Das, Saina Nehwal, P.V. Sindhu.
• The statement by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud during the judgment “We must recognize that the structure of our society is created by males, for males” is very true.
• According to a report published on a website, there are a total of 12,18,036 army personnel in defence from which there are only 6,807 women. These figures need to improve.

Kamaluddin Raza

Women are excelling in every field

• The judgement by Supreme Court should be welcomed but it should have come much earlier.
• In 2010, the issue was first raised in the Delhi High Court stating that some provisions of the army are violating the constitutional rights of women.
• It’s unfortunate that it took 10 years for the final judgement on the matter. The Supreme Court very correctly said that ‘The society is created by men for men’.
• If women are excelling in every field and sector then why can’t they excel in the army? We should not deny women the opportunities that they deserve.