BREAKING NEWS: After Army, SC grants permanent commission to women officers in Navy

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NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Tuesday (March 17, 2020) granted permanent commission for women officers in the Navy.  The apex court said, "women can sail with the same efficiency as male officers and there should be no discrimination."  Supreme Court ordered that both male and female officers should be treated equally in granting permanent commission in the Indian Navy.  

The Bench, headed by Justice DY Chandrachud, directed the Centre to grant permanent commission to serving women officer in Navy within three months. 

The top court said that the denial of permanent commission to SSC women in Navy who have served the nation is a grave injustice. This judgment follows a verdict by the apex court in favour of permanent commission for women in Indian Army. 

A permanent commission entitles an officer to serve in the Navy till he/she retires unlike short service commission (SSC), which is currently for 10 years and can be extended by four more years, or a total of 14 years. 

The apex court in February this year had ruled that the permanent commission will apply to all women officers in the Army in service, irrespective of their years of service. 

Supreme Court had ordered the government to grant permanent commission to women officers in the Army’s noncombat support units on par with their male counterparts should they wish to continue with it after completing their short-service commission.