Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Army lets women be soldiers for life

Photo courtesy Bharat Rakshak

The move comes after HT carried a series of reports highlighting gender bias in the forces and triggered a debate. It will give the women officers their rightful place in a male-dominated military culture, some 15 years after they were allowed into the armed forces.

National Defence Academy and other service-specific training institutions will no longer be the exclusive domain of male cadets. Lieutenant General Punita Arora (retd), the first lady to don the three-star rank in India’s military history, told HT, “The girls have proved their worth in the armed forces. They deserve it.”

However, women will continue to be accepted only in responsibilities more in tune with generally accepted notions of gender. Close combat would essentially imply serving in the infantry, armoured corps, flying a fighter aircraft or sailing on a warship.

A senior army officer said the existing cadre of women officers is unlikely to benefit as permanent commission would come with its own terms and conditions. Defence ministry figures show there are just 945 women out of 35,377 officers in the army, 739 out of 10,563 officers in the air force and 236 out of 7,336 officers in the navy. HT had recently reported that several lady officers were opting for corporate sector with the government dithering on permanent commission.
Army lets women soldiers for life
National Defence Academy may let in women cadets
Armed Forces crack their glass ceiling: allow permanent commission for women
India’s first woman permanent commission officer by 2013

UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITIES
Indian Armed forces trains in the art of war besides the academic curriculum, it also gives ample scope to acquire new skills constantly. Activities like river rafting, para jumping, rock climbing, trekking, mountaineering or even desert safaris. When it comes to adventure and sports, there’s no place like the armed forces. Why should the women be left out? A very wise decision taken by MOD to straighten its record.

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