Army considering creating special cadre for permanent commission to women

The Army is finalising a plan to grant permanent commission (PC) to women in an array of areas by creating a special cadre for their induction, official sources said today.

They said the permanent commission to women is being considered for a number of segments including cyber and IT, corps of military police and various posts in service selection board.

At present, the Army offers permanent commission to women in the Army Education Corps (AEC) and the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Department.

Majority of women recruits in the Army are short-service commission (SSC) officers and they have a maximum tenure of 14 years.

The sources said the Army was seriously working on extending the areas where women can be recruited.

"The Army is considering creating a special cadre for recruitment of women officers under permanent commission category," said an army officer.

Last month, the Centre had told the Supreme Court that it was considering granting permanent commission to short service commission women army officers.

A group of women army officers recruited under SSC scheme had approached courts seeking PC status.

In September last year, the Army had announced that it was inducting women in the military police, seen as a major move towards inducting them for combat roles.

The role of the military police includes policing cantonments and Army establishments, preventing breach of rules and regulations by soldiers and maintaining movement of soldiers as well as logistics during peace and war.

The Indian Army is yet to open doors for combat roles for women. Very few countries have allowed women in combat roles which include include Germany, Australia, Canada, USA, Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden and Israel.