Delhi High Court Urges Indian Air Force to Address Alleged Gender Discrimination in Pilot Recruitment

The Delhi High Court has urged the Indian Air Force to review its recruitment policies following a petition by a woman aspiring to be a pilot, alleging gender-based discrimination. The court has issued notices to multiple government bodies, and the matter is set for further hearing on September 12.

The Delhi High Court has called on the Indian Air Force to reconsider its recruitment practices in response to a petition filed by a woman aspiring pilot. The case raises concerns over gender discrimination in the commissioning of female pilots, despite existing vacancies.

Justices Rekha Palli and Shalinder Kaur issued notices to the Central Government, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Ministry of Defence, the National Defence Academy (NDA), and the Directorate of Personnel at Air Headquarters. The Petitioner, Archana, claims her application for a pilot position was rejected due to gender biases even though she was deemed fit for the role.

The High Court emphasized the necessity for the IAF to address why eligible women are not being considered for vacancies left unfilled by male candidates. The court has scheduled the next hearing for September 12, seeking clarifications concerning the advertised vacancies and whether they should explicitly include female candidates.

(With inputs from agencies.)