Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane Friday reviewed the Passing Out Parade of the National Defence Academy (NDA), which will soon induct women cadets, and said that 40 years down the line, women could be standing where he is standing. “I think 40 years down the line, women could be standing where I am standing,” he said while while responding to a question.
He also said, “There will be no difference between training standards of male and female trainees and we are already following the same regime at the Officers’ Training Academy in Chennai. The squads for the training are all mixed squads and they train together.”
Speaking about proposed entry of women cadets in the NDA, he said, ”I am sure that they will perform equally well as that of men cadets. This is just the first step towards gender equality and Army has been at the forefront of such initiatives in the country.”
Naravane said as the NDA opens its doors for women cadets, it is expected that they are welcomed with the same sense of fair play and professionalism. “As we open the portals of the NDA for women cadets, we expect you to welcome them with the same sense of fair play and professionalism as Indian armed forces are known world over,” General Naravane added.
He was addressing the cadets after reviewing the passing out parade of the 141st course of the NDA, which was held on Friday morning and which marked the completion of the three years of rigorous training at the academy for the passing cadets.
Every year, two batches of cadets pass out from India’s premier tri-services military academy, which is based at Khadakwasla in Pune, to continue with the one more year of pre-commissioning training at the academies of their respective forces – Indian Military Academy in Dehradun for Army, Air Force Academy in Dundigal and and Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala.
This was the fourth occasion when the prestigious Passing Out Parade was held under the shadow of Covid-19 pandemic. The ceremony was held with strict Covid-appropriate norms in place. General Naravane, himself an alumnus of 56th course of the academy, reviewed the parade and addressed the cadets.
The Passing Out Parade for the Autumn Term courses, which generally takes place around the end of November every year, was held a month in advance. General Naravane, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, former Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria are all batchmates from the 56th course of the academy.
Last month, the Defence Ministry had informed the Supreme Court that a notification allowing women candidates to appear for the entrance exam to the NDA will be out by May next year. But observing that induction of women to the NDA cannot be postponed by one year, the apex court had allowed female candidates to take the exam in November this year and not wait till May 2022 as requested by the government.
Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane Friday reviewed the Passing Out Parade of the National Defence Academy (NDA), which will soon induct women cadets, and said that 40 years down the line, women could be standing where he is standing. “I think 40 years down the line, women could be standing where I am standing,” he said while while responding to a question. He also said, “There will be no difference between training standards of male and female trainees and we are already following the same regime at the Officers’ Training Academy in Chennai. The squads for the training are all mixed squads and they train together.” Speaking about proposed entry of women cadets in the NDA, he said, ”I am sure that they will perform equally well as that of men cadets. This is just the first step towards gender equality and Army has been at the forefront of such initiatives in the country.” Naravane said as the NDA opens its doors for women cadets, it is expected that they are welcomed with the same sense of fair play and professionalism. “As we open the portals of the NDA for women cadets, we expect you to welcome them with the same sense of fair play and professionalism as Indian armed forces are known world over,” General Naravane added. He was addressing the cadets after reviewing the passing out parade of the 141st course of the NDA, which was held on Friday morning and which marked the completion of the three years of rigorous training at the academy for the passing cadets. Every year, two batches of cadets pass out from India’s premier tri-services military academy, which is based at Khadakwasla in Pune, to continue with the one more year of pre-commissioning training at the academies of their respective forces – Indian Military Academy in Dehradun for Army, Air Force Academy in Dundigal and and Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala. This was the fourth occasion when the prestigious Passing Out Parade was held under the shadow of Covid-19 pandemic. The ceremony was held with strict Covid-appropriate norms in place. General Naravane, himself an alumnus of 56th course of the academy, reviewed the parade and addressed the cadets. The Passing Out Parade for the Autumn Term courses, which generally takes place around the end of November every year, was held a month in advance. General Naravane, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, former Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria are all batchmates from the 56th course of the academy. Last month, the Defence Ministry had informed the Supreme Court that a notification allowing women candidates to appear for the entrance exam to the NDA will be out by May next year. But observing that induction of women to the NDA cannot be postponed by one year, the apex court had allowed female candidates to take the exam in November this year and not wait till May 2022 as requested by the government.