New Delhi : The Supreme Court has recognised long-standing barriers faced by women officers in the Indian Armed Forces in securing permanent commissions and promotions. The Court delivered three key rulings on Tuesday, highlighting how women officers were disadvantaged despite earlier court orders and policy changes aimed at gender parity.
The Court noted that Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs), which form most of the evaluation for permanent commission, were prepared when women were not eligible for such promotions. This led to consistently lower ratings for women officers, limiting their chances despite their merit. Women officers were often excluded from important training courses and appointments that helped career growth.
The Court compared this to trying to fix an old photograph by adjusting the camera lens after the picture was taken. The government’s argument about a yearly cap of 250 permanent commission vacancies was also challenged. The Court pointed out that this limit had been exceeded before and said rigidly applying it now would worsen inequality. Using its constitutional powers, the Supreme Court ordered that women officers who met earlier selection criteria should be granted permanent commission and pension benefits.
It directed granting permanent commissions to eligible officers as a one-time measure to avoid further litigation. In the Air Force case, the Court provided relief to women officers considered in selection boards between 2019 and 2021. However, it rejected requests for retroactive promotions, citing concerns about the service’s hierarchical structure.
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