The Supreme Court on March 17 (Tuesday) cleared permanent commission for women in navy, maintaining that women and men officers should be treated equally.

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A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud, in its judgement, said that denying permanent commission to women officers would result in a serious miscarriage of justice.

"There cannot be gender discrimination in granting permanent commission to women officers in the Navy after the statutory bar was lifted by the Centre," the bench said.

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"Once the statutory bar was lifted to allow entry of women officers, then male and female officers are to be treated equally in granting a permanent commission," the court added.

It may be mentioned here that women in Navy are inducted, on a gender-neutral basis, in various ranches/ specialisations/ cadres like Executive Branch [Logistics, Law, ATC, Pilot (MR Stream), Naval Armament Inspectorate, Sports, Musician and Observer], Engineering Branch (Naval Architect) and Education Branch.

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In addition, Directorate General of Medical Services (Navy) also inducts women in Medical, Dental and Military Nursing Service.

In the Indian Navy, posts are not classified in terms of administrative or combat post. Naval units are either seagoing or non-sea going.

Women are inducted in non-sea going Branches/Cadres/Specialisations.

However, women officers are posted in MR Air Squadrons where they are in a combat role and are tasked to operate weapon and sensor suite.

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