New Delhi, Sep 18 - There is no scope for granting permanent commission to women in the army, the government told the Delhi High Court Friday.

Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramanium submitted before Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that the granting of permanent commission to women officers on short service commission in the Indian Army is out of question.

However, the court has stayed the retirement of the officers involved in the litigation till the final outcome of the case and the matter was posted for final arguments Nov 19.

The court was hearing the plea of over 20 officers who have filed a public interest petition challenging the government's proposal of Sep 29, 2008, to bypass them for future grant of permanent commission.

Currently, women are inducted in the army as officers under the Short Service Commission for a maximum period of 14 years though their male counterparts are eligible to receive permanent commission after five years.

But Subramanium was clear with his brief when he said the government policy would in effect be 'prospectively' for future batches of women officers as the training and examination processes of women candidates have to be fine-tuned to suit the 'additional avenues' opening up for them in the armed forces.