Indian Defense Academy awards degrees to female cadets for the first time

Although the opening of the NDA was not due to a change in policy but rather a Supreme Court ruling in August 2021, directing the government to allow women to take the NDA entrance exam, it is considered a victory for the feminist movement in the world's most populous country.

For Ishita Sangwan, a random phone call from her father was a turning point in her life. Sangwan's father was a principal, her mother a teacher. When she picked up the phone, Sangwan's father excitedly told her that women could finally attend the National Defense Academy - the country's most elite military school.

Three years later, cadet Ishita Sangwan from Haryana will make history when she takes the ceremonial salute at the NDA’s graduation ceremony at the Khadakwasla campus near Pune on May 30, 2025. Sangwan and 16 other female cadets will be the first group of women to graduate from the world-class military training academy, along with over 300 other young men.

The order comes nearly three decades after women were allowed to serve in some branches of the three services as short service commission (SSC) officers and 18 months after the Supreme Court ruled that women officers joining the Indian Army through the SSC are entitled to hold command posts.

The first NDA exam for women was held in November 2021. Out of a total of 570,000 applications, 178,000 were women. Of these, 1,002 women cleared the written exam. Ultimately, 17 of the best female candidates were declared successful.

A year later, they strode into the academy, heads held high, to begin their three-year training programme. Among this elite group, like Ishita Sangwan, is Harsimran Kaur, from Gurdaspur in Punjab. “I have a deep connection with the armed forces as both my grandfather and father were in the army,” she says. Reflecting on the journey of women in the NDA, Kaur notes that Indian women never thought they would be able to walk through those hallowed doors. “Change is happening and for the better,” she says.

For the country’s women, real change is coming in the defence sector, slowly but surely. As of February 2021, just months before the Supreme Court’s NDA verdict, there were 9,118 women serving in the armed forces. For the NDA, a total of 126 female cadets have joined the academy since 2023.

Học viện Quốc phòng Ấn Độ lần đầu tiên trao bằng tốt nghiệp cho học viên nữ - Ảnh 1. — Female cadets of the Indian Defence Academy

Recalling her early days at NDA, Kaur said changes were made to accommodate the first cohort of female cadets. Over time, the infrastructure was revamped to ensure comfort and safety, including the construction of women-only washrooms in all academic and training buildings. “From the sixth semester, we were moved to a new wing with enhanced facilities and designed specifically for us. Special features such as fingerprint locks and designated spaces were also introduced to ensure privacy and security, reflecting the Academy’s commitment to creating a supportive environment for women in the military.”

Of the first 17 female cadets, nine will join the Army, three will join the Navy and the remaining five will join the Air Force. They will continue their training at different academies, depending on their assignments, before being commissioned as officers.

NDA is known as the “cradle of leadership” of the Indian armed forces. Two Chiefs of Defence Staff, several Chiefs of Service Staff, and a long list of officers who have been awarded the country’s highest military honours, have graduated from NDA. In a few days, Cadet Ishita Sangwan, Cadet Harsimran Kaur, Cadet Ishita Sharma and 14 other female cadets will join the alumni of this important academy, continuing to serve the nation with courage, grace and commitment to leadership from the front.

Source: The Hindustan

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/hoc-vien-quoc-phong-an-do-lan-dau-tien-trao-bang-tot-nghiep-cho-hoc-vien-nu-20250527220458371.htm