Background:

• The induction of women officers in the Army started in 1992. Recruits under the Women Special Entry Scheme (WSES) had a shorter pre-commission training period than their male counterparts who were commissioned under the Short Service Commission (SSC) scheme.
• In 2006, the WSES scheme was replaced with the SSC scheme, which was extended to women officers. They were commissioned for a period of 10 years, extendable up to 14 years. 
• In the February 2019 policy statement, the Government endorsed the Permanent Commission (PC) for SSC women officers in 10 streams of the ‘Combat Support Arms’ and ‘Services’ sections.
• However, it was said that the women officers would not be offered any command appointments, and would serve only in staff posts.
• In February 2020, the Supreme Court  held that there is a need for an administrative will and ‘change of mindset’ and directed the government to grant Permanent Commission and command postings in all services other than combat to women Army officers.

Why in News?

• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued the formal Government Sanction Letter for grant of Permanent Commission to women officers in the Army.
• The order specifies the grant of PC to SSC women officers in all the 10 streams of the Army in which they presently serve — the Army Air Defence (AAD), Signals, Engineers, Army Aviation, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), Army Service Corps (ASC), Army Ordnance Corps (AOC), and Intelligence Corps in addition to the existing streams of Judge and Advocate General (JAG) and the Army Educational Corps (AEC).

References:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/women-officers-can-now-get-permanent-commission-in-indian-army/article32171210.ece
2. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sanction-issued-women-now-eligible-for-permanent-commission-in-army-6520752/
3. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/women-officers-can-be-given-permanent-commission-sc/article30840323.ece