'Having Given Hope To Women To Take Exam In November, We Don't Want To Belie That' : SC On NDA Entrance [Courtroom Exchange]

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to vacate its interim order allowing women candidates to take the NDA entrance examination scheduled for November.Senior Advocate Chinmoy Sharma, for the petitioner, pointed out that the affidavit filed by Captain Shantanu Sharma, Director (AG), at DMA, Ministry of Defence adds that while the entrance examination for entry into NDA is held twice a year, the Government proposes to have the necessary mechanism in place by May 2022 i.e, by the time when UPSC is required to publish the first notification of the year 2, for entrance examination for entry to NDA."The NDA holds 2 exams in a year- the first exam for which the notification is issued in January and the exam is held in April; the second notification is issued in June and the exam takes place in September. The process is such that the joining only takes place in the next year. Let us say the notification is issued in May, 2022, then the intake will only happen in June, 2023. The interim order of My Lords was very clear that for this exam which was to happen in September but is now postponed to take place in November, the girls should be allowed to participate and be inducted…", he advanced.Justice S. K. Kaul observed, "They have to create some element of infrastructure to adjust the female candidates. To that extent, we cannot say anything. But the absorption cannot be postponed by one year. To that extent, we agree with you." Mr. Sharma continued to submit, "I must also point out there will be two exams which will now take place. The September exam is now going to happen in November and there will be another exam in April also. So in effect, there will be two exams where women will be eligible but they will miss them"ASG Aishwarya Bhati responded, "April-May is the last by which the notification is to be published by the UPSC for the year 2022 – so young girls between 16 and 19 will be taken in."Justice Kaul noted that the point is that the females taking the exam in November get the benefit."My respectful submission is that Your Lordships may allow us to skip this examination which is going to take place, for which Your Lordships had passed the interim order", prayed the ASG."No, Ms. Bhati, we appreciate all your problems, we are not saying the problems are not there. Some things may happen in a phased manner. But I am sure the armed forces are capable of finding a solution. We have said the girls will take the examination…let us see the result which comes, how many will take it, how many women get into it. The planning can go on. We appreciate your endeavour to put before us the different areas you need to work upon- fitness test, accommodation etc. What we are finding difficult to accept is to postpone everything by a year. Having given some hope to the women to take the examination in November, we don't want to belie that hope now and say that somebody will get in in the future", said Justice Kaul"It is not delaying by a year. My learned colleague did not put it correctly before you. What is going to be held now is the second exam of 2021. What we are saying is that in the very next exam, the first exam of 2022, the girls can participate. Your Lordships will appreciate that there is a fixed number of every course of NDA- the standards will have to be fixed to start with- the medical standards etc. There is a study group which has been set up…", replied Ms. Bhati."It is not so complex, what you are saying. The exam has already been directed to be held., that order has already been passed. The armed forces are the people who deal with everything in emergency. They are the best response team we can get in the country. So I don't believe that the armed services response team will not be able to deal with the scenario of whatever may be possible, depending upon the nature of the task. Please appreciate that not many may have enrolled for the exam this time. This is something which is happening for the first time. You may have to make arrangements for large numbers at the next exam. The number will be small this time. Instead of postponing it, try to work something out for them.", said Justice Kaul.The ASG repeated the bench permit them one 6-month period, saying that they will be fully ready by then. "We will permit you six months without saying 'no exam'. Once we have passed an order and created hopes in the candidates, what answer do we have for them? Having gone this far, we say you try your luck next time? This is what you are trying to say", said Justice Kaul."Your Lordships had indicated on the last occasion that you will allow some latitude", pressed the ASG."We are giving you all the latitude. We are looking at all issues. We will record all these issues in order. Don't ask us to effectively vacate the order. You go on with your exercise. You need not disclose it today. But proceed with the exam. We will see the result. We will see how many women get in", said Justice Kaul."Your Lordships say that the...

'Having Given Hope To Women To Take Exam In November, We Don't Want To Belie That' : SC On NDA Entrance [Courtroom Exchange]

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