Addressing an event organised by FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), Defence Minister Rajanth Singh asserted that the Indian Armed Forces will see larger participation of women in the coming years. Today women are not only working in every wing of the Indian Army, but now we are also giving permanent commissions to them, the Defence Minister said.
Women officers tripled in the last six years in Indian Defence forces
The proof in the pudding for the greater role of women in Indian defence forces is that women officers in the Indian Army are continuously increasing. It is noteworthy that, the number of women officers are almost tripled in about 6 years. In 2014-15, the number of women officers in the armed forces was around 3,000 in comparison to the 9,118 women officers, who are presently serving in the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.
Of these, excluding the medical wing, there are 6,807 women officers in the Indian Army, 1,607 in the Indian Air Force, and 704 in the Indian Navy.
Notably, women are now flying aircraft in the Navy and Air Force, and now the Indian Army has also opened the way for women pilots by starting the ‘Army Aviation course’. Till recently, women were only part of ground duty in the Indian Army.
To recruit women officers in Army Aviation, the Indian Army has begun the course from July 2021. After the completion of one year of training, women will also be able to fly combat aircraft.
Interestingly, there are 10 women fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force, out of which three women fighter pilots, Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth, Avani Chaturvedi, and Mohana Singh joined the Indian Air Force together in June 2016.
Army providing equal opportunities to women with granting ‘Permanent Commission’: COAS General MM Naravane
While addressing the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Annual Press Conference 2022, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane asserted on providing equal opportunities to women and said the Army has granted ‘Permanent Commission’ to women officers at par with their male counterparts.
Notably, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) mentioned that the first batch of women soldiers of the Corps of Military Police Centre & School (CMP C &S) has successfully joined their units.
In May 2021, the Indian Army inducted its first batch of 83 female soldiers into the Corps of Military Police (CMP). In total, 83 female troopers were commissioned at the CMP Centre and School in Bengaluru after 61 weeks of rigorous training in the domain of primary army and provost operation along with all types of policing duties, prisoner of war administration, skill growth, ceremonial duties and sign communications.
Sharing this information, the Indian Army took to Twitter and wrote, “The Corps of Military Police Centre & School (CMP C &S) at Bengaluru held the attestation parade of the first batch of 83 Women soldiers at the Dronacharya Parade Ground. We welcome these valiant Soldiers to the Indian Army.”
Permanent Commission to women officers
Till November 2021, the Indian Army granted ‘Permanent Commission’ to 577 women officers since the Supreme Court verdict in February 2020.
“63 eligible Women Officers have been granted permanent commission as of November 25, 2021 in compliance with the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhat said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
A Permanent Commission gives a full-time career in the Army till an officer retires. It simply means that if an officer gets selected through Permanent Commission entry, he/she can serve the nation up to the age of retirement (60).
A peek in streams, women officers can dive
Grant of permanent commission to Short Service Commissioned (SSC) women officers are allowed in streams like Engineers,Army Air Defence (AAD), Army Aviation, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), Army Service Corps (ASC), Army Ordnance Corps (AOC), and Intelligence Corps in addition to the existing streams of Judge and Advocate General (JAG) and Army Educational Corps (AEC).
100 new Sainik schools to bolster opportunities for girls in joining the Armed Forces
Recently addressing a webinar on Sainik Schools, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted the imperativeness of setting up 100 new Sainik schools, which will provide an opportunity for girls to join the Armed Forces and contribute to national security.
Emphasizing the important role of women in the Armed Forces, the Defence Minister mentioned a series of steps taken in the direction of including and clearing the way for admission of girls in Sainik Schools and providing ‘Permanent Commission’ to women officers.
Expansion of Sainik Schools
In October last year, the Union Cabinet approved the affiliation of 100 Schools in the Government and private sector with Sainik School Society. The move was kept with marching ahead in tune with National Education Policy (NEP). Further, it will increase the focus on value-based education enabling children to develop pride in the rich culture and heritage of this nation, effective leadership with character, discipline, sense of national duty, and patriotism.
Notably to provide quality education to the youth of the nation several schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan are being run by the government and setting up of 100 new Sainik Schools is another way forward in that direction.
