In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, who were denied Permanent Commission due to arbitrary assessment, are entitled to full pensionary benefits. Reading the operative parts of the judgment, the CJI said the Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) for women officers were often graded "casually" under the assumption that they would not be eligible for career progression or PC. The bench separately dealt with the denial of PC to SSC women officers of the Air Force, Navy and Army. The court, however, declined to order reinstatement, citing "operational effectiveness", but said that this could not be a ground to deny financial benefits. The court rejected the plea for notional time-scale promotions to the rank of Wing Commander for those not in active service.

Source: The Telegraph March 24, 2026 13:35 UTC