Preparation Underway To Train Women Soldiers To Join Military Police

After the Indian Army received over two lakh applications from girls wanting to become soldiers in Military Police, the army on Wednesday said that it is preparing to train the first batch ever of women soldiers in Corps of Military Police.

“The preparations are underway for receiving and training the first-ever batch of women soldiers in Corps of Military Police, from accommodation necessities to training modules to selecting the right instructors from all over the country for them,” An Army official told ANI. The official also stated that the army has studied several models like the Karnataka Police Women model and have incorporated a lot of other good practice in the training program of the women CMPs.

In April, the army had released circulars calling for online applications of women wanting to join the Military Police after the Army decided to induct women as soldiers into the Military Police for the first time ever in March 2018. The recruitment rallies for women military police were held in Ambala, Lucknow, Jabalpur, Belgaum and Shillong starting from Belgaum (Karnataka).

ALSO READ: Army dads and little daughters, Garima Dixit’s photo series inspired by martyrs

To become a soldier, women applicants had to pass through a set of guidelines. According to the official reports the women soldiers need to be in the age group of 17 to 21 years. They should have a minimum educational qualification of class 10 with 45 per cent marks in aggregate. Exception for the widows of defence personal will be provided with upper age limit till 30years (without kids).

Secondly, the candidates must be unmarried or widow/separated. Marriage before or during the training process of one year is strictly prohibited. The widow/separated candidates must not have children until the training process is over. Any pregnant/married/women having kids will not be entertained by the Army.

“The preparations are underway for receiving and training the first-ever batch of women soldiers in Corps of Military Police, from accommodation necessities to training modules to selecting the right instructors from all over the country for them,”

The selected cadets are going to undergo training of one year at the Corps of Military Police Regimental Centre in Bengaluru before being posted to units. After the training, these women military personnel will be deployed initially in those areas where they are needed to frisk women or are needed for the allied role. They will be posted to chosen units in Jammu & Kashmir as well as other parts of the country.

ALSO READ: Kanika Rane Wife Of Martyred Major Opts To Don Army Uniform

Initially, a total of 1,700 women soldiers are going to be recruited in various phases. These women cadets will also be deployed in areas where separate accommodation for soldiers’ family is located. These are the quarters where the families of jawans stay when the soldiers are posted in field areas.

Currently, women are only recruited in select fields in the Army like medical, legal, educational, signals and engineering wings of the Army. However, now the Army will also induct women soldiers increasing the number of women in the army workforce. The govt. data says that the army has 3.80 per cent of its workforce as women; the Air Force has 13.09 per cent and the Navy six per cent.

Picture credit: TOI