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Air force flying vacancy: The Delhi High Court has directed the Central Government and other officers to appoint a female candidate on one of the 20 vacant posts of the Air Force. This order has come on a petition filed by Archana, who passed the National Defense Academy (NDA) examination. He was medically declared "suitable for flying".

Archana approached the court demanding appointment to vacant posts. He argued that 90 vacancies were notified in May 2023, out of which only two posts were prescribed and filled for women. 20 posts were left vacant for male candidates.

High Court ordered to appoint in Indian Air Force

A division bench of Justice C Hari Shankar and Om Prakash Shukla ruled in favor of Archana. After hearing the arguments of the lawyer, the authorities were instructed to appoint him to the Indian Air Force. The bench directed the defendants to appoint the petitioner against one of the 20 vacant Air Force flight vacancies related to the examination notification of 17 May 2023.

The bench said in its order, "She will be entitled to equal behavior with 70 male and two female candidates for all service benefits including seniority and other related benefits, who have been selected and appointed."

Archana was not recruited even after passing the exam

Archana filed a petition through advocate Sahil Mongia. It said that on 17 May 2023, the Union Public Service Commission released an examination information to conduct the National Defense Academy and Naval Academy Examination for recruitment to various posts in the armed forces. The petitioner successfully passed the written examination held on 3 September 2023. On 2 April 2024, the Ministry of Defense released the merit list of 699 candidates qualified for recruitment on the basis of NDA after the written examination and interview.

The High Court noted that "one of the requirements to be eligible for appointment to the post of Air Force (i) Flying was a" fit to fly "certificate. The petitioner's counsel argued that 20 of the 90 vacancies who were not prescribed for women candidates were not offered to appoint the petitioner despite being vacant.

It was also argued that it was necessary for the defendants to fill the above vacancies with qualified women candidates. Since the petitioner was ranked 7th in the merit list of women candidates after two, who were elected against two prescribed vacancies, they said that she was entitled to be appointed. On the other hand, it was presented by the Central Government and other defendants that in the notification of 17 May 2023, only two vacancies were prescribed for women candidates. It was also presented that selections were being made not only through NDA but also through the Air Force General Entrance Examination (AFCAT).