New Delhi, 25 March 2022: Earlier in 2021, the Supreme Court made a historical decision by allowing women candidates to appear for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) National Defence Academy (NDA) exam. Now, the National Defence Academy (NDA) is all set to train both boys and girls in a gender-neutral way. The training will begin from June 2022 onwards.
Note: With minimum changes to the existing curriculum, the training in academics, drill, outdoor training, etc., will be conducted in a gender-neutral manner.
UPSC NDA – Overview Table
| Number of women applicants | 1.7 lakh |
| Number of girl cadets to be admitted in first batch | 19 |
| Training commencement month | June 2022 |
| Major aims of training girl candidates | Establishing gender neutrality and enhancing employability |
UPSC NDA 2022 Training – Details
- UPSC NDA exam 2021 had over 1.7 lakh women applicants, out of which 19 girl cadets have been finally shortlisted to be admitted in the first batch.
- Just like their male counterparts, girls of the age group 16.5 to 19 years will undergo three years of military training after successfully clearing the UPSC-NDA written exam and Services Selection Board (SSB) interviews and medicals.
- Out of the 19 shortlisted girls, the UPSC NDA exam has selected 10 for the Army.
- The remaining 6 and 3 cadets have been allotted Air Force and Navy, respectively.
- Due to physiological differences between male and female cadets, the aspect of physical training may entail certain changes in the training of girl cadets.
- Similar training methodology already exists in other pre-commissioning training academies like the Officer’s Training Academy (OTA) Chennai, Indian Naval Academy ( INA) Ezhimala, and Indian Airforce Academy (AFA) Hyderabad.
UPSC NDA 2022 Training – Objectives
- The training objective of NDA is centered around excellence for producing military leaders.
- It also aims to impart a non-discriminatory and gender-neutral training.
- NDA has also stated that this time, with the welcoming of girl cadets, a dedicated support staff would also tag along to ensure proper training.
- An important idea of the training is to enhance the employability of girl cadets.
- Most of the training will be done jointly, wherein all girl cadets will be required to command men cadets.
- Modifications will also be undertaken to conform to gender-specific lifestyle requirements.
- In the long run, a separate squadron is also being planned exclusively for girl cadets.
Note:
- Around two months ago, the Supreme Court asked the Union government to give an explanation regarding the admission of merely 19 women in the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA) for 2022.
- A bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul made it clear to the Additional Solicitor General (ASG), Aishwarya Bhati, that 19 seats are not enough for women candidates and has asked the ASG to give clarity as to why the UPSC has restricted women admissions to just 19 for the year 2022.
About UPSC NDA Exam
- NDA is a national-level defence entrance exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) twice a year.
- The exam is conducted to recruit candidates for the Army, Navy, and Air Force wings of the Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) and the National Defence Academy (NDA).
UPSC NDA 2022 Training – FAQs
When will UPSC NDA 2022 training begin?
The training will begin in June 2022.
How long will the UPSC NDA 2022 training last and what is the criteria for getting selected?
Just like their male counterparts, girls belonging to the age group 16.5 to 19 years will undergo three years of military training after successfully clearing the UPSC-NDA written exam, Services Selection Board (SSB) interviews and medicals.
What are the aims of exclusive UPSC NDA 2022 girl cadets training?
- To establish non-discriminatory and gender-nuetral atmosphere.
- To enhance employability of girl cadets.
