PARAGRAPH,WORDS AND MEANINGS

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TOPIC – Opening NDA’s doors to women
With the Centre’s decision to allow women to be inducted for permanent commission through the National Defence Academy (NDA), one more barrier to gender equality has fallen. This is indeed “a rather delightful piece of news”, as additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati put it while appearing for the Centre before the Supreme Court (SC). The SC has consistently cleared the path for women to join the armed forces in larger numbers, while urging the forces to adopt a more proactive approach towards gender equality. The apex court had passed an interim order last month permitting women to sit for the NDA admission exam, which is now scheduled for November 4. This welcome change must now be buttressed by changes in policy, procedure, training, and infrastructure, for which the Centre has sought that women’s entry be put off for a year. NDA’s policy, so far, has been exclusionary. The decision to induct women will be, hopefully, put an end to the prejudices voiced over the years on why women are not suited for a career in the armed forces. This includes dubious reasons revolving around how women will not be accepted as leaders by a male- dominated force, or how physical constraints prevent them from a role, or that they may seek special treatment, or that the armed forces lack suitable infrastructure, or that women might be subject to various forms of harassment. None of these are the fault of women and none of these are insurmountable, in fact, they point to structural flaws within the forces itself. The Centre’s decision to admit girls to Sainik schools, along with the latest move vis-à-vis, NDA entry, suggests that the blueprint for substantive change has been now been created, This will allow the armed forces to choose from a much wider pool of talent. Gender does not come in the way of technical skills, decision-making or mental strength, all of which are necessary attributes in a modern army. With its latest decision, the Centre and armed forces have upheld the constitutional provisions of equality, equal opportunities in public employment, freedom to practice a profession and non- discrimination. This will make the armed forces not just more inclusive but more efficient in the long-run. The SC had earlier said, in the context of creating more space for women in the armed forces that is recognized that reforms cannot happen in a day. But thanks to its tireless nudging, the foundations for more gender-inclusive armed forces have now been laid.MEANINGS AND WORDSInducted (verb) – Admit (someone) formally to a post or organizationSynonyms – Initiated, conscripted, ordained, armature, broached

Antonyms – Abolished, heedless, ignored, impulsive, reckless

 

Interim (noun) – The time between one event, process, or period and another

Synonyms – Interlude, hiatus, interregnum, transient, lacuna

Antonyms – Everlasting, immortal, perpetual, enduring, antique

 

Buttressed (adjective) – Held up by braces

Synonyms – Backed, bolstered, propped, crutched, strutted

Antonyms – Enervated, enfeebled, fragile, sapped, rickety

 

Exclusionary (adjective) – Tending to exclude

Synonyms – Restrictive, swank, cliquish, preclusion, clannish

Antonyms – Deficient, endorse, pandemic, sanction, honour

 

Dubious (adjective) – Fraught with uncertainty or doubt

Synonyms – Suspicious, debatable, improbable, skeptical, ambiguous

Antonyms – Unambiguous, evident, indisputable, lucid, perspicuous

 

Constraints (noun) – A device that retards something’s motion

Synonyms – Impediments, compulsions, shackles, constrictions, strictures

Antonyms – Persuasions, incentives, liberties, scopes, latitudes

 

Insurmountable (adjective) – Incapable of being passed over, surmounted or overcome

Synonyms – Impassable, invincible, unconquerable, unattainable, indomitable

Antonyms – Acquiescent, amenable, biddable, climbable, passable

 

Flaws (noun) – An imperfection in an object or machine

Synonyms – Blemishes, blunders, deformities, blotches, distortions

Antonyms – Perfect, flawless, strengths, milestone, benefits

 

Attributes (noun) – A construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished

Synonyms – Ascribes, stuff, adnouns, peculiarities, adjuncts

Antonyms – Heft, recapitulation, slovenly, synopsis, tawdry

 

Recognized (adjective) – Provided with a secure reputation

Synonyms – Accredited, perceived, avowed, endorsed, canonical

Antonyms – Disreputable, abolished, annulled, beefed, brash

 

Nudging (verb) – Touch or push (something) gently or gradually

Synonyms – Prodding, prompt, bump, impelling, jostling

Antonyms – Allaying, appeasing, conciliating, daunting, deterring