108 Indian Army Women Officers To Be Promoted As Colonels

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• Participation of Women in Defence Sector
• Recent developments in Army

 

Why in news?

• The Indian Army is conducting women officers Special Selection Board for promotion from the rank of Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel.
• Nearly 80 women officers in the Army have been cleared so far for the rank of Colonel, making them eligible to command units in their respective arms and services for the first time.
  • As many as 244 women officers are being considered for promotion against 108 vacancies in various arms and services.

 

Participation of Women in Defence Sector

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Image caption: Percentage of women in armed forces

 

Navy

• The induction of women as officers in the Indian Navy commenced in the year 1991.  
• Since then, the Indian Navy has gradually opened all branches to women officers including induction through NDA. 
  • In Navy, women are engaged in activities such as firing torpedoes and missiles at enemy warships. 
  • Women officers also serve on board naval warships in combat, albeit discharging non-combat roles.
• In 2020, the Indian Navy started deploying its first batch of women pilots on the Dornier maritime aircraft. 
• Further, for the first time, women are also being recruited for sailors’ entries under the Agnipath Scheme w.e.f. 2022.
  • 20% vacancies are reserved for women.

 

Air Force

• Officers recruitment in the IAF is gender neutral. Women officers are inducted in all the branches and streams of IAF.
• In 2015, Indian Air Force had opened new combat roles for women as fighter pilots. 
• This experimental scheme to induct women officers in all combat roles has now been regularised into a permanent scheme.

 

Army

• Initially, woman officers were permitted PC in only two services – the Judge Advocate General’s Branch and the Army Education Corps. 
• In February 2020, the defence ministry permitted SSC women officers in another eight arms/services to be granted PC.
  •  This happe ned after the Supreme Court, in February 2020, granted women the right to permanent commission (PC), and the right to command.
• Hence, at present, the women are being commissioned in Indian Army in ten Streams.
• Now the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA) has started accepting women cadets.  
  • In 2021, the Supreme Court allowed women to appear for the upcoming entrance exam of the National Defence Academy (NDA).
• So far, no combat role has been given to women in Army.
  • The ‘no women in combat’ rule was not challenged in the SC and the apex court did not rule on this.

 

Recent developments in Army

• For the first time, five women officers have cleared the prestigious Defence Services Staff Course (DSSC) and Defence Services Technical Staff Course (DSTSC) Exam.
• Recently, a women officer has been deployed, for the first time, to a post in the Saichen Glacier.
• The Army has so far recruited six meritorious sportswomen into the Corps of Military Police under its Mission Olympic Programme.
  • The Indian Army was the first among the three Services to open its soldier ranks to women in the Corps of Military Police.
• In January 2023, Indian Army deployed its largest-ever contingent of women soldiers for UN peacekeeping operations in the volatile oil-rich Abyei region of Africa.
  • This is India’s largest single unit of women peacekeepers in a UN Mission.

 

Conclusion:

• Tanks and combat positions in Army are still no-go zones for women in India.
• Many countries including Germany, Australia, Canada, the US, Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden and Israel have allowed women in combat roles.
• India can certainly gain from their experience although there is a variance in the cultural milieu.

 

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Q1) When did the armed forces begin inducting women?

 The army, air force and navy began inducting women as short-service commission (SSC) officers in 1992. This was the first time women were allowed to join the military outside the medical stream. Initially, they could serve for five years, and their service could be extended by another five years. In 2006, a policy revision allowed them to serve for a maximum of 14 years as SSC officers.

 

Q2) Which countries allow women in combat roles?

 The United States, Israel, North Korea, France, Germany, Netherlands, Australia and Canada are among the global militaries that employ women in front-line combat positions. The Indian Army does not offer front-line combat roles to women.

 

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Source: 108 women officers to be Colonels, can lead Army units first time | PIB | Outlook