The present strength of women officers in Army, Navy, Air Force and Armed Forces Medical Service is as under:-

*Includes Army Medical Corps, Army Dental Corps and Military Nursing Services.

            The women officers are appointed both in Short Service and Permanent Commissions in the Medical, Nursing and Dental Services. In these Services, Short Service Commission (SSC) women officers are also eligible for Permanent Commission.

            The induction of women officers in the three Services started in 1992. Appointment of women officers has been progressively extended to different Arms/Services in these Services. They are, however, not being commissioned into close combat Arms in the  Army. In the Air Force, women are being inducted in all combatant streams except fighter stream. In the Navy, there have been restrictions in employing women officers onboard ships and submarines. Women officers are treated at par with similarly placed male counterparts in terms of recruitment, training, tenure of service, promotion etc.

            The issues of combat employability and grant of permanent commission are interlinked. A study carried out by the Services on the issue in 2006 recommended that women officers be excluded from induction in close combat Arms where chances of physical contact with enemy are high. The study concluded that it was essential to obtain feed back on their performance based on revised pre-commission training (from 24 weeks to 49 weeks), detailment on courses such as Junior Command Course and assessment of their performance as sub-unit commanders especially in field areas for holding higher ranks and grant of Permanent Commission.

            The matter has been reviewed further and the Government has recently approved a proposal to grant Permanent Commission to women officers prospectively in select branches (Judge Advocate General (JAG) Department and Education Corps of the three Services, Accounts Branch in Air Force and Naval Constructor in Navy).

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Smt Hema Malini in Rajya Sabha today.

Samir/RAJ