In a first, five women officers granted Colonel (Time Scale) ranks
NEW DELHI: A selection board of the Indian Army has cleared the way for the promotion of five women officers to the Colonel (Time Scale) rank after they completed 26 years of 'reckonable service'.
Announcing the decision, the Indian Army on Monday said, "This is the first time that women officers serving with the Corps of Signals, Corps of Electronic and Mechanical Engineers (EME) and the Corps of Engineers have been approved to the rank of Colonel."
The five women officers selected for Colonel (Time Scale) rank are Lieutenant Colonel Sangeeta Sardana from the Corps of Signals, Lieutenant Colonel Sonia Anand and Lieutenant Colonel Navneet Duggal from the Corps of EME and Lieutenant Colonel Reenu Khanna and Lieutenant Colonel Ritcha Sagar from the Corps of Engineers, the Army added.
The first selection for the rank of Colonel is held after completing of 16 years of service and those who miss making the cut are granted the rank of a Colonel after completing 26 years of service.
Women have become eligible for the Colonel (Time Scale) rank as they have been given Permanent Commission into the Army.
A total of 424 women out of 615 were considered for Permanent Commission by a special board were granted it after a Supreme Court order.
Previously, promotion to the rank of Colonel was only applicable for women officers in the Army Medical Corps (AMC), Judge Advocate General (JAG) and the Army Education Corps (AEC).