Army To Hold Rally To Recruit Women For Non Commissioned Ranks

For the first time ever, the Indian Army will be organising a rally for recruitment of women in the Military Police as a soldier general duty (non-commissioned ranks). Under the aegis of HQ recruitment zone, Bengaluru, the rally is scheduled to be held in Belgaum, from August 1-5. The rally will see participation from women candidates across Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and UT Lakshadweep, Mahe and Andaman and Nicobar islands.

For this purpose, as many as 100 pan India vacancies were rolled out this year for women. In order to meet the requirement in the Indian army, these many vacancies are likely to be made available for the next five years. Out of the 15,000 candidates who registered for the rally, 3000 were shortlisted on the basis of their matriculation marks.

If we look back, the process started decades back, the year 1992, was an important landmark in the history of Indian Army as it inducted its first batch of Short Service Commission women officers into the officer cadre for the first time

A Look At The Recruitment Process

All the 3000 candidates selected are eligible for the recruitment process. Thereby, after the initial verification process, the candidates will then have to pass the physical fitness tests. Post this; the candidates will also have to go through a medical examination by a team of doctors. All those candidates who clear these stages of the recruitment will then be eligible for a written test at the army recruiting office. The written exam will be held on October 27, 2019. Those successful in these three stages will then be enrolled, according to the merit list, into the corps of military police in December 2019.

Induction Of Women In Army Started In 1992

The induction of Women Officers (WOs) was approved in 1992 by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs as Short Service Cadre. The first batch of 25 WOs was commissioned into Army Service Corps (ASC), Army Ordnance Corps (AOC), Army Education Corps (AEC) and Judge Advocate General (JAG) Department in March 1993. The initial terms of engagement were five years, which over the period was extended and presently is 10 years with the option of extension by another four years (10+4). In 2008, a permanent commission was granted to women in AEC and JAG Dept. Additionally, the number of vacancies for WOs has been enhanced to around 80\100. Today there are nearly 1400 WOs in the IA (approximately 3 % of the total authorised strength of officers).

Those successful at the three stages of selection will then be enrolled, according to the merit list, into the corps of military police in December 2019.

The process of inducting women in defence services was not an easy decision. It came with a generation of considerable debate, both, within and outside defence circles. Since the Constitution of India guarantees equality of opportunity for all, irrespective of sex, it was considered only right that women should be allowed to join the army as well. The more vociferous among the women activists even referred to this step as the “last male bastion.”

The army had also rolled out advertisements in newspapers in April, inviting applications for Indian women who would like to be recruited for Soldier General Duty (Women Military Police). It marked the first time when women candidates were being sought out at Soldier (Jawan) level for regular employment in the Army.

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