SC grants women Navy, Army SSCOs permanent commission
What's the story
In a historic judgment, the Supreme Court has ruled that women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers are entitled to Permanent Commission. The court invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to deliver justice and called out systemic bias against women in both the Army and Navy. Chief Justice Surya Kant headed the bench that delivered this landmark ruling.
Evaluation bias
Court slams discriminatory evaluation framework for women officers
The court slammed the discriminatory evaluation framework for women officers, which included arbitrary caps and unfair assessment processes. It also ruled that the cap of 250 women officers per year for Permanent Commission is arbitrary and cannot be treated as sacrosanct. According to India Today, the bench observed, "Male SSCOs cannot expect that the Permanent Commission will remain exclusively male."
Rectification order
Women officers deemed to have completed 20 years of service
The court directed that all affected women officers be deemed to have completed 20 years of service for retiral benefits. This applies to those denied Permanent Commission and officers granted Permanent Commission after 2020 through court orders, but not assessed properly. The bench also ruled that women officers eligible under a one-time measure in the Navy would be granted Permanent Commission, subject to medical fitness.
Review directive
Review of evaluation methods and ACRs system across armed forces
The court directed a review of evaluation methods and the Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) system across the armed forces. This is to ensure that past discrimination does not continue to affect women's careers. The bench noted serious flaws in ACRs for women officers, which were evaluated casually with a preconceived assumption against their eligibility for Permanent Commission.