Tue Mar 18 15:48:20 UTC 2025: ## Lone Karnataka Woman Cadet Trains at NDA: Report
**Bengaluru, March 18, 2025** – Only one female cadet from Karnataka is currently undergoing training at the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Khadakwasla, Pune, according to a recent parliamentary statement. This was revealed by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
While 126 women cadets have joined the NDA since the first intake in August 2022, five have since resigned. The current intake includes cadets from 17 states, with Haryana sending the highest number (35), followed by Uttar Pradesh (28), Rajasthan (13), and Maharashtra (11). Among southern states, Karnataka’s lone cadet is joined by four from Kerala. The five cadets who resigned hailed from Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.
Mr. Seth clarified that selection to the NDA is based on a nationwide written exam conducted by the UPSC, followed by Service Selection Board assessments, with no state-specific quotas. He also confirmed that women cadets receive facilities at par with their male counterparts and that the government is actively promoting women’s participation in the NDA and Indian Army through various outreach programs. The inclusion of women cadets follows a 2021 Supreme Court order.
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