ICG ‘clears’ Permanent Commission for women

New Delhi: The Indian Coast Guard on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it will consider Short Service Appointee (SSA) officer Priyanka Tyagi and other similarly placed women for grant of permanent commission after receiving their vigilance clearance reports.

A permanent commission (PC) offers a lifelong career in the armed forces until retirement, in contrast to a Short Service Commission (SSC) that provides a fixed-tenure engagement of 10 to 14 years.

The top court, by separate verdicts, had earlier allowed grant of PC to women SSC officers in the Army, Air Force and Navy. On August 19, the top court had come down heavily on the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) for not granting permanent commission to a female officer, saying “we will not allow women officers to be humiliated”.

On Thursday, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was informed by Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the ICG and the Centre, that the force will proceed to consider granting PC after ascertaining the eligibility of Tyagi and other desirous women officers.