126 Female Cadets Joined National Defence Academy, Most From Haryana
The National Defence Academy (NDA) has seen 126 female cadets join its ranks since the induction of women began in August 2022. Haryana leads the numbers, with 35 female cadets, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 28 and Rajasthan with 13. The data, presented in the Rajya Sabha, highlights the increasing participation of women in the Indian Armed Forces.
Minister of State for Defence, Shri Sanjay Seth, confirmed that the selection of cadets for the NDA is conducted through a common national written examination by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), followed by selection by the Services Selection Board. There is no state or union territory quota, ensuring that candidates are chosen purely on merit.
Among the 126 female cadets, five have resigned since joining, including one each from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. Other states that have contributed significantly to the intake include Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (6), and Delhi (5). The presence of cadets from across the country reflects the national reach of the NDA’s recruitment process.
The minister also assured that female cadets are provided with adequate facilities on par with their male counterparts. This includes equal access to training, accommodations, and resources required for their military education.
To encourage more women to join the NDA, the Indian Army has been conducting outreach programmes in schools and colleges across the country. These initiatives include motivational lectures, personal interactions, and social media campaigns to raise awareness about career opportunities in the armed forces. Special emphasis is placed on reaching candidates in rural areas, ensuring that aspiring female officers from all backgrounds are given the opportunity to serve.
In Odisha, the armed forces have actively engaged in promotional efforts, targeting young women from all communities, including Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). Various recruitment offices have organised awareness drives to highlight the benefits of joining the armed forces, making the process more accessible to aspirants from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
