After NDA, Supreme Court allows women’s entry into RMIC, Dehradun

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 7

Less than two months after ordering the entry of women into the National Defence Academy (NDA), the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Centre to allow them to appear for the December 18, 2021, examination for induction into the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RMIC).

The Centre has walked a mile and now it should walk a step ahead, a Bench led by Justice SK Kaul said while directing the Centre to issue a modified advertisement in this regard in two days without changing the examination schedule.

The order came on a petition filed by advocate Kailas Udhavrao More raising the issue of entry of girls to the RIMC, Dehradun—a 99-year-old institution which will complete 100 years next year.

The top court—which had on April 18 allowed women candidates to appear for NDA entrance exam—turned down Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati’s request to allow entry of girls into the RIMC and the Rashtriya Military School from January 2023 and not June 2022.

“You are effectively postponing everything, why do you want to postpone for a year? You will have six months”, the Bench told the ASG. “We do believe that six months is more than enough for a disciplined organisation like the respondent to arrange their affairs,” it added.

The court made it clear that this would be applicable insofar as the RMIC was concerned. However, with regard to the Rashtriya Military Schools, the process will begin during 2022-2023.

“Dehors the niceties, the fact is that all boys’ schools were going to turn into co-education institutions, is something the respondent has accepted,” it said after perusing the Centre’s affidavit.

The RIMC is an Inter-Service Category ‘A’ establishment, administered through the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) under the Ministry of Defence. Christened the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College, it was inaugurated on 13 March 1922 by His Royal Highness, Prince Edward VIII, the Prince of Wales.

“The question is whether it (RIMC) completes its 100 years with gender neutrality or not,” the Bench had earlier commented.