In Brief
Short Service Commission Women Officers challenged denial of Permanent Commission in the Indian Air Force. The Air Force suspended permanent commissions for officers inducted after May 2006, then suddenly restored eligibility in 2019 with new performance criteria. The Supreme Court held this unfair because officers' annual evaluations were written without expecting career advancement, making them unreliable for later promotion decisions. The new eligibility requirements—such as course grades and special certifications—were rushed through without reasonable time for officers to meet them. The Court allowed the officers' appeals, granting them pension benefits based on 20 years' service and ordering future selection boards to disclose vacancies and criteria beforehand.
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