Permanent Commission for Women in Indian Navy

• 18 Mar 2020

Why in News

Recently, the Supreme Court upheld the right of serving Short Service Commission (SSC) women officers of the Navy to be granted Permanent Commission (PC) on a par with their male counterparts.

• The judgment was based on a case filed by 17 women SSC officers who were denied PC and discharged despite completing 14 years of service as SSC officers.
• The verdict comes after the top court had opened the doors for similarly-placed women officers in the Army.

NOTE

• 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.

Key Points

• PC for Women :
  
  • SC has directed that SSC women officers found suitable for the grant of PC shall be entitled to all consequential benefits, including arrears of pay, promotions and retirement benefits as and when due.
  • The grant of PCs will be subject to availability of vacancies in the stabilised cadre, suitability of the candidate and recommendation by the chief of Naval Staff.
• Criticism of Government’s View:
  
  • It rejected the submissions of the Centre stating that certain sea-sailing duties are ill-suited for women officers as there is no return to the base, unlike in the Army and the Air Force.
• Stand against Discrimination:
  
  • The Court denied the discrimination on the grounds of physiology, motherhood and physical attributes of the women officers in the Indian Navy.
  • Thus the judgement ensured the right to fair and equal treatment with constitutional entitlement to dignity at the workplace for women.
• Previous Notifications for PC of Women :
  
  • The Court stated that the government had already drawn up policies in 1991 and 1998 to give Permanent Commission to women in the Navy.
    
    • The 1991 notification lifted the restriction on the appointment or enrolment of women for specified cadres/branches of the Navy.
    • The 1998 notification made women eligible for appointment as officers in all the branches of the Indian Navy.
  • It also directed that the stipulation in a policy letter dated September 26, 2008, making the grant of PC prospective and restricting its application to specified cadres/branches of the Navy shall not be enforced.

Source:TH